Bill Text: VA HB571 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Sexually explicit content; policies on parental notification of instructional material.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2024-04-17 - House sustained Governor's veto [HB571 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HB571-Enrolled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §22.1-16.8 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§22.1-16.8. Instructional material; sexually explicit content; parental notification.
A. As used in this section, "sexually explicit content" has the same meaning as provided in subsection A of §2.2-2827.
B. The Department shall develop and make available to each school board model policies for ensuring parental notification of any instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to:
1. Ensuring parental notification;
2. Directly identifying the specific instructional material and sexually explicit subjects; and
3. Permitting the parent of any student to review instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and provide, as an alternative, nonexplicit instructional material and related academic activities to any student whose parent so requests.
C. Each school board shall adopt policies that are consistent with but may be more comprehensive than the model policies developed by the Department pursuant to subsection B. However, nothing in this section, any model policy or amendments thereto adopted by the Department pursuant to subsection B, or any policy or amendments thereto adopted by a school board pursuant to this subsection shall be construed to permit the censoring of books in any public elementary or secondary school.
