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With drug overdoses continuing to strain Virginia communities, a proposal requiring schools to notify parents of overdose cases is gaining momentum in the General Assembly. However, lawmakers remain divided on whether schools should report 鈥渟uspected鈥� overdoses or only 鈥渃onfirmed鈥� cases, a key sticking point that could shape the bill鈥檚 final language.
Virginia recorded 21,881 drug overdose emergency department visits in 2023, a 2% decrease from 2022, according to by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). Despite the slight decline, fentanyl overdoses remain a major concern, prompting legislative action.
Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield, who sponsored , supports a House amendment expanding the reporting requirement to include colleges and universities. His bill cleared the House Education Committee on Monday, but now faces further scrutiny in the full House. This comes after a by Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, failed in the Democratic-controlled House by 42-57 last session.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want schools to wait until law enforcement confirms it, or the hospital does the toxicology or the blood work to confirm that it was, in fact, an overdose,鈥� Sturtevant said. 鈥淲e want them to sort of err on the side of providing more information sooner to parents because if we [wait] 鈥� it can take a week or longer for lab results to get back.鈥�
A related measure, , sponsored by Del. J.J. Singh, D-Loudoun, also advanced to the Senate floor. Singh鈥檚 proposal was merged with and , carried by Dels. Geary Higgins, R-Loudoun, and Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, showing strong bipartisan interest in addressing the crisis.
鈥淚 think we would do well to take the input from everybody, from the governor鈥檚 office, from the Senate and the House, and come up with [the right] approach,鈥� Singh said, expressing confidence in the bill鈥檚 final passage.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin鈥檚 administration has made fentanyl prevention a priority, signing two executive orders related to overdose response during his tenure.
Executive Order 26 outlined a 鈥渃omprehensive鈥� strategy to combat fentanyl and opioid abuse, while directed the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to ensure school divisions notify parents of school-connected overdoses within 24 hours.
The urgency behind the second order came after nine opioid overdoses were documented in Loudoun County Public Schools in October 2023. The administration criticized the district for waiting more than 20 days to notify parents, despite evidence of multiple such cases.
However, Executive Order 28 did not specify a deadline for when VDOE should issue guidance, and lawmakers say a legislative mandate for VDOE and tVDH to set clear school protocols is long .
Higgins said he doesn鈥檛 understand why schools hesitate to notify parents but hopes the bill will require school divisions to report where an overdose occurred and include 鈥渟uspected鈥� cases 鈥� not just confirmed ones.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not trying to point out anybody or anything,鈥� Higgins said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to make sure parents know what鈥檚 going on and if you don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going on, how do you fix it?鈥�
With both bills now reaching each chamber, lawmakers have until Saturday鈥檚 session deadline to hammer out the final language 鈥� ensuring schools balance transparency with accuracy in overdose reporting.
