VA HB1377

Establishes a 13-member task force to examine Virginia Military Institute's responsiveness to a 2021 SCHEV report that found racial and gender disparities in cadet treatment and institutional barriers to addressing them.

Task force membership includes four House delegates, four state senators (with at least one military veteran from each chamber), a SCHEV representative, and four civilian members with expertise in workforce development and higher education.

Requires evaluation of VMI's academic curriculum rigor compared to other Virginia public institutions, graduate quality metrics including military officer training performance, and whether current programs meet Commonwealth defense and non-defense needs.

Mandates an audit of VMI's efforts to address racism, sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual assault, as well as actions to distance the institution from "Lost Cause" Confederate mythology.

Task force must complete work by November 30, 2026, and submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly before the 2027 legislative session.