2026 SESSION

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

26106279D

HOUSE BILL NO. 462

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Education

on ________________)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Cohen)

A BILL to direct the Board of Education to require health literacy instruction in grades nine and 10 in the next regularly scheduled revision of the Health Education Standards of Learning.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. The Board of Education, during its next regularly scheduled revision of the Health Education Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework, shall require in grades nine and 10 health care literacy instruction for the purpose of helping students navigate the health care system efficiently and effectively and shall consider the following topics and content for inclusion in such instruction:

1. Navigating the health care system as a patient, including patient concerns such as understanding, communication, cost-effective utilization, digital access, finance, and insurance;

2. Accessing health information, including being able to find and retrieve reliable health information from various sources;

3. Understanding health information, including comprehending medical terminology, statistics, and instructions;

4. Evaluating health information, including assessing the credibility and relevance of health information sources;

5. Applying health information, including making informed decisions about health behaviors, treatments, and resources; and

6. Communicating with health care providers, including effectively communicating health concerns and questions to health care professionals.