GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1504, which mandates the Board of Education to create guidelines for school-connected overdose response and parental notification policies to assist local school boards.

While I agree with the general purpose of the legislation, regrettably, the House of Delegates did not approve my amendments. These recommendations would have required division superintendents to inform parents within 24 hours of any school-related overdose, providing details on the cause (including drug names, street names, whether it's a combination, and identifying features) and circumstances.  

This policy is already in place and will continue to be in effect as Executive Order 28 (2023) which directed the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide guidance to school divisions on school-connected overdose reporting. I am signing Senate Bill 498 into law so that the Board of Education can adopt these legislatively mandated guidelines.  

Accordingly, I veto this bill. 

GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION

That the amendment in the nature of a substitute (24109243D) be accepted.