2026 SESSION

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

26106248D

HOUSE BILL NO. 495

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Education

on ________________)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Guzman)

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 bus drivers.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 22.1-298.6 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-298.6. Mental health awareness training.

A. Each school board shall adopt and implement policies that require (i) each teacher and other relevant personnel, as determined by the school board, employed on a full-time basis, and (ii) each school bus driver employed on a full-time basis in the local school division to complete a mental health awareness training or similar program at least once.

B. Each school board shall provide required personnel the training required by subsection A and may contract with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, a community services board, a behavioral health authority, a nonprofit organization, or other certified trainer as defined in § 37.2-312.2 to provide such training. Such training may be provided via an online module.