2026 SESSION

SENATE SUBSTITUTE

26107894D

SENATE BILL NO. 245

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Education and Health

on February 12, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Senator Head)

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-79.3:2, relating to social media platforms; school boards; artificial intelligence systems; civil penalties.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 22.1-79.3:2 as follows:

§ 22.1-79.3:2. School boards; communications relating to extracurricular activities; use of social media platforms by schools, school board employees, and volunteers prohibited.

A. For purposes of this section:

"Extracurricular activities" means the same as that term is defined in § 22.1-370.

"Social media platform" means the same as that term is defined in § 59.1-575.

B. Each school board shall prohibit public elementary and secondary schools, school board employees, and school volunteers from using a social media platform as the sole means of communication with students for the facilitation of school-related extracurricular activities.

C. Any division superintendent or his designee may provide a written exception to the prohibition in subsection B on using a social media platform as the sole means of communication with students for the facilitation of school-related extracurricular activities when such use is required to meet an objective that cannot be reasonably achieved without such use, provided that the division superintendent or his designee (i) provides clear, written instructions on such use and (ii) may revoke such exception at any time.