2026 SESSION

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

26109070D

SENATE BILL NO. 568

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Education

on March 4, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Senator Sturtevant)

A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-206 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public schools; student instruction; addictive potential of time spent using certain electronic devices.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 22.1-206 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-206. Instruction concerning drugs, alcohol, substance abuse, retail tobacco products, hemp products intended for smoking, gambling, and screen time.

A. Instruction concerning drugs and drug abuse shall be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board of Education.

B. Instruction concerning the public safety hazards and dangers of alcohol abuse, underage drinking, and drunk driving shall be provided in the public schools. The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority shall provide educational materials to the Department of Education. The Department of Education shall review and shall distribute such materials as are approved to the public schools.

The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth shall develop and the Department of Education shall distribute to each local school division educational materials concerning the health and safety risks of using retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking, as such terms are defined in § 18.2-371.2. Instruction concerning the health and safety risks of using tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking, as such terms are defined in § 18.2-371.2, shall be provided in each public elementary and secondary school in the Commonwealth, consistent with such educational materials.

C. Instruction concerning gambling and the addictive potential thereof shall be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board.

D. Instruction concerning time spent using electronic devices such as computers, cell phones, and other smart devices and the addictive potential thereof shall be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board.