State Sen. Danica A. Roem has introduced a bill designed to expand tuition waivers for military survivors and dependents by refining eligibility guidelines, as detailed by the Virginia State Senate.
The measure, designated SB92, was filed on Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session. It is formally titled: “Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program; tuition and fee waivers.”
The breakdown below summarizes key provisions in the bill based on the original text, with some interpretive clarification of sections.
This proposal updates eligibility for the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program, which offers tuition and mandatory fee waivers at public colleges for certain spouses and children of service members who are deceased, missing, captured or severely disabled. It includes stepchildren claimed on taxes or listed with the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System and permits dependents older than 29 to qualify in particular cases. The legislation broadens definitions of Virginia domicile or physical presence, now permitting status through military relocations or allowing eligibility if a service member dies before meeting residency requirements. It also continues the existing reporting and outreach roles for the Department of Veterans Services and public institutions.
Sen. Danica A. Roem (Democrat-30th District) is listed as the measure’s sole sponsor.
So far this session, Roem has introduced an additional 16 bills.
Roem earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University in 2006.
Elected in 2024, Roem represents the 30th Senate district, succeeding former Sen. Adam Ebbin.
In Virginia, the legislative process starts when a measure is introduced in the Senate or House of Delegates. After committee review and possible amendment, it may move to the floor for chamber votes. If both approve, the governor chooses to sign, veto, or allow it to become law without a signature. The General Assembly holds regular sessions annually, beginning the second Monday in January; hundreds of bills are filed each year but only some are enacted.
| Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danica A. Roem | SB92 | 01/14/2026 | Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program; tuition and fee waivers. |
| Danica A. Roem and R. Creigh Deeds | SB4 | 01/14/2026 | School breakfasts; availability at no cost to students. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB41 | 01/14/2026 | Motor Vehicles, Department of; electronic transactions, voluntary contributions. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB42 | 01/14/2026 | School boards; payment of school meal debt. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB43 | 01/14/2026 | Demand response programs; evaluation and assessment by Department of Energy, report. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB44 | 01/14/2026 | Cemeteries on private property; registration by localities. |
| Danica A. Roem and Michelle Lopes Maldonado | SB93 | 01/14/2026 | Data centers; taxes on banks that are tenants of a center. |
| Danica A. Roem and Adam P. Ebbin | SB94 | 01/14/2026 | Data centers; site assessment, sound profile of the high energy use facility. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB95 | 01/14/2026 | Rest area signage; adds human trafficking information. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB97 | 01/14/2026 | Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program; establishment of student meal plan credit donation program. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB331 | 01/14/2026 | Veterinary Medicine, Board of; traineeships. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB336 | 01/14/2026 | Tier 2 emergency generators; SCC shall evaluate impact of requiring data centers to limit use, etc. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB345 | 01/14/2026 | Guardianship/conservatorship of incapacitated adult; right to request counsel, right to a jury trial. |
| Danica A. Roem, Angelia Williams Graves, and David R. Suetterlein | SB350 | 01/14/2026 | Absentee voting; counting ballots prior to the close of polls. |
| Danica A. Roem and Kannan Srinivasan | SB482 | 01/14/2026 | Sodium Chloride; alternatives to use to treat and pretreat roadways for winter weather, report. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB503 | 01/14/2026 | Phase II Utility; rates, terms, and conditions of services, certain customers. |
| Danica A. Roem and Scott A. Surovell | SB716 | 01/14/2026 | Commissioner of Highways; certain agreements with U.S. Department of Transportation. |
Information in this article was obtained from the Virginia State Senate. The source data can be found here.
