A bill proposing to review whether the Virginia Military Institute should remain a state-sponsored college passed in the House of Delegates in a 71-24 vote Thursday, with changes that reduce the severity of its plans to scrutinize the institution.
HB 1377 proposed creating a task force to evaluate the quality of education received by students, known as cadets, at VMI and to determine whether the state-run senior military college should keep its state funding.
The amended version of the bill establishes a task force to “examine higher education” at VMI. It no longer asks that task force to make a recommendation on whether to strip VMI’s state funding.
Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax County, filed the bill. He has expressed concerns that VMI is stuck in “lost cause” ideology, honoring the Confederacy, particularly since the institute’s board decided in 2025 not to renew the contract of its first Black superintendent.
The original version of Helmer’s bill proposed revisiting a 1928 report ordered by the General Assembly on the state of higher education in Virginia that had recommended closing the Lexington college.
The amended version strikes references to the 1928 report.
Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt County, voted in favor of the amended bill. Ahead of the vote to approve the amendments Wednesday, Austin explained he had spoken with Helmer and helped arrange a meeting between Helmer and VMI’s superintendent, Ret. Lt. Gen. David Furness.
In a statement posted to VMI’s website, Furness said: “We are appreciative to the House of Delegates for their bipartisan efforts to amend the bill to remove references threatening VMI’s state funding. We are confident that an impartial task force will find that VMI is a Virginia treasure that produces citizen-soldiers ready to serve selflessly as military officers or civilian leaders.”
The statement continued, “While no institution is perfect, VMI is open to improvement in our constant pursuit of excellence.”
The bill will now go to the Senate for its consideration.
