Singh Pushes College Affordability with New Legislation
loudounnow: Singh Pushes College Affordability with New Legislation
By Hanna Pampaloni - January 20, 2026
Loudoun Del. JJ Singh (D-26) is looking to build on last year’s legislation that sought to address college tuition costs and implement a four-part plan with legislation proposed during this year’s General Assembly session which kicked off Jan. 14.
In 2025, Singh successfully proposed a budget amendment that dedicated $55 million to tuition relief.
This year, he is introducing multiple pieces of legislation to further address higher education affordability. The first, HB 1312, would require tuition and fees for undergraduate students at public institutions be frozen for two years. The bill would expire July 1, 2028.
Singh is also hoping to win support to allocate an additional $46 million to state colleges to offset the financial weight of those freezes.
HB 1095 looks to expand participation in the Free Application for Student Aid program or the Virginia Alternative Student Aid program by requiring parents to submit the application unless they specifically opt out of the process. Singh said families are leaving money on the table by not applying for the grants and he’s hoping to maximize its reach through this legislation.
Singh said he also wants to help students serving with organizations like AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps. Having served two years with the Peace Corps himself, Singh said he wants to find a way to give students credit hours for their service. That would, in turn, reduce some tuition costs, he said. HB 1098 would convene a work group to study the issue and submit a report to a House committee by Nov. 1, 2026.