HB 495 VA
School boards; mental health awareness training for full-time school bus drivers.
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Summary
This bill would require Virginia school boards to provide mental health awareness training to full-time school bus drivers. School bus drivers spend significant time with students and may be in position to observe signs of mental health concerns or crisis situations. Mental health awareness training would help drivers recognize warning signs and respond appropriately to student mental health needs. The training would help school staff support student mental health and wellbeing.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill (from the OpenStates abstract — no full text available yet) — neutral, and may be imperfect.
Official abstract
A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-298.6 of the Code of Virginia, relating to school boards; mental health awareness training; full-time school bus drivers.
Sponsor (1)
- Elizabeth R. Guzman Democratic · primary
5 coauthors / cosponsors
- Jessica L. Anderson · cosponsor
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie · cosponsor
- Nadarius E. Clark Democratic · cosponsor
- Patrick A. Hope Democratic · cosponsor
- Charlie Schmidt Democratic · cosponsor
Action history (20)
- Jan 12, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102869D · lower
- Jan 12, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education · lower
- Jan 29, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB495) · lower
- Jan 30, 2026 Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee · lower
- Feb 3, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
- Feb 3, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N) · lower
- Feb 11, 2026 House committee offered · lower
- Feb 11, 2026 Reported from Education with substitute (14-Y 7-N) · lower
- Feb 11, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107573D-H1 · lower
- Feb 12, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB495) · lower
- Feb 13, 2026 Read first time · lower
- Feb 16, 2026 Read second time · lower
- Feb 16, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
- Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
- Feb 17, 2026 Read third time and passed House (62-Y 34-N 0-A) · lower
- Feb 18, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
- Feb 18, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education and Health · upper
- Feb 26, 2026 Assigned Education sub: Public Education · upper
- Mar 5, 2026 Continued to next session in Education and Health (15-Y 0-N) · upper
- Jul 21, 2026 Continued from last session · upper
Full text
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