HB 38 VA

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Became Law

Public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction; requirements. Requires each teacher and other relevant personnel, as determined by the applicable school board, employed on a full-time basis to complete mental health awareness training that addresses the needs of youth populations that are at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders in accordance with evidence-based best practices developed by the American Psychological Association. Current law requires such teachers and personnel to complete mental health awareness training but does not contain any requirements relating to the specific topics such training must address. The bill prohibits any of its provisions or any policy adopted in accordance with its provisions from being construed to permit biased or discriminatory treatment of any youth population deemed to be at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders.

• Rozia A. Henson, Jr. Democratic · primary

1. Dec 23, 2025 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101402D · lower
2. Dec 23, 2025 Referred to Committee on Education · lower
3. Jan 19, 2026 Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee · lower
4. Jan 20, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N) · lower
5. Jan 21, 2026 Reported from Education (16-Y 6-N) · lower
6. Jan 23, 2026 Read first time · lower
7. Jan 26, 2026 Read second time and engrossed · lower
8. Jan 27, 2026 Read third time and passed House (68-Y 31-N 0-A) · lower
9. Jan 28, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
10. Jan 28, 2026 Referred to Committee on Education and Health · upper
11. Jan 30, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB38) · lower
12. Feb 19, 2026 Assigned Education sub: Public Education · upper
13. Feb 26, 2026 Reported from Education and Health (9-Y 6-N) · upper
14. Feb 27, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
15. Feb 27, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
16. Feb 27, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
17. Mar 2, 2026 Read third time · upper
18. Mar 2, 2026 Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) · upper
19. Mar 6, 2026 Enrolled · lower
20. Mar 6, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB38ER) · lower
21. Mar 6, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB38) · lower
22. Mar 6, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
23. Mar 6, 2026 Signed by President · upper
24. Mar 10, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 · lower
25. Mar 10, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
26. Apr 2, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 47 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
27. Apr 2, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0047) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML