A visit Friday to New College Institute by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and two pieces of legislation are addressing NCI’s path forward.

The governor, Va. Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera, Deputy Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent and Deputy Secretary of Finance Jason Powell and others toured NCI for an hour, then met with key NCI staff and board members to discuss NCI’s business plan.

Youngkin’s proposed budget, released in December, would allocate NCI $4.69 million for the 2025 fiscal year but nothing in for the 2026 fiscal year. Language accompanying the proposed budget also requires NCI to present to the state a business plan by October, but that plan already has been in process, with its final version expected to be completed and presented within the month.

Following the release of Youngkin’s proposed budget, board chair Sen. Bill Stanley (R-District 7) met with the governor and invited him for a tour of NCI’s programs and partners. The business plan was discussed with the governor and his staff during Friday’s meeting, said Stanley, board member Richard Hall and NCI Executive Director Joe Sumner.

Meanwhile, legislation is moving through the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates in support of NCI’s continued operations and evolution.

SB 62, introduced by Stanley, would require NCI to work with the Va. Department of Education, Va. Department of Labor and Industry, the Va. Community College System, the State Council for Higher Education, the Va. Board of Workforce Development and other agencies on workforce development programs which support workforce initiatives of the Office of the Governor. As of Jan. 18, after passing the Senate Education and Health committee with a vote of 14-1, the bill sits with Finance and Appropriations.

HB 1445 is the same; it was introduced in the House by Del. Eric Phillips (R-District 48). It is with the Committee on Education, referred on Jan. 18.

“The purpose of the bill is to streamline our ability to track what we deliver in our workforce development programs,” Stanley said on Saturday.

The NCI Code, created in 2006, is comprised of six pillars: work with other agencies and institutions to diversify the region’s economy; use resources to support economic diversity; develop a trained workforce; provide access to degree programs; focus degree programs on areas of critical shortage; and serve as a resource and referral center.

“A lot of things have changed in education” since 2006, Phillips said, including that a lot of traditional 4-year education “is being done online now. The bill is for more money and development for workforce training while still having and offering a 4-year degree education.”

Stanley, Del. Betsy Carr (D-District78) and Phillips introduced budget amendments (SB30 Item 234 #1s, HB30 items 234 #1h and #2h) to reinstate NCI’s second year (FY26) funding of $4,686,850.