Bill Text: VA SB1037 | 2025 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: School boards; school-based telehealth and mental health teletherapy services, accessibility.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2025-02-20 - Passed House (52-Y 46-N) [SB1037 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2025-SB1037-Comm_Sub.html
2025 SESSION
HOUSE SUBSTITUTE
25106939D
SENATE BILL NO. 1037
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee on Education
on February 17, 2025)
(Patrons Prior to Substitute—Senators Pekarsky and Perry [SB 1130])
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-272.3, relating to school boards; student access to telehealth services; policies.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 22.1-272.3 as follows:
§ 22.1-272.3. Student access to telehealth services; school division policies.
A. In order to increase access to health care services for students, each school board shall consider developing and implementing policies for permitting any public school student in the school division to schedule and participate in telehealth services on school property during regular school hours with parental consent. Any such policies developed and implemented by a school board pursuant to this section shall:
1. Require each public elementary and secondary school at which such telehealth services are provided to (i) designate a location in such school for students to use for such telehealth appointments that ensures the privacy and safety of such students and has Internet access and (ii) implement measures to ensure the privacy and safety of each student participating in a telehealth appointment;
2. Prohibit any student from being subject to any disciplinary measure or consequence for participating in a telehealth appointment during regular school hours if such student would not be subject to disciplinary measures or consequences for an absence for the purpose of receiving any health care services in person during regular school hours; and
3. Include such other requirements as the school board deems necessary and appropriate.
B. Each school board that develops and implements any policies in accordance with subsection A shall provide guidance relating to the implementation of such policies for administrative and instructional personnel and shall post such guidance in a publicly accessible location on its website at the beginning of each school year.
