2026 SESSION

ENROLLED

VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-79.3:2, relating to social media platforms; school boards.

[S 245]

Approved

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. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the use of school division-approved communication or messaging applications.

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.