SB 1037 Virginia Senate · 2025 Regular Session

School boards; school-based telehealth and mental health teletherapy services, accessibility.

Summary

School boards; student access to telehealth services; policies. Directs each school board to consider, for the purpose of increasing access to health care services for students, developing and implementing policies for permitting any public school student in the school division to schedule and participate in telehealth services, including mental health teletherapy services pursuant to a memorandum of understanding with a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider developed in accordance with applicable law, on school property during regular school hours with parental consent. The bill requires any such policies developed and implemented by a school board to (i) require each public elementary and secondary school to designate a location in the school for student use for such telehealth appointments and implement measures to ensure the safety and privacy of any student participating in a telehealth appointment, (ii) prohibit any student from being subject to any disciplinary measure or consequence for participating in a telehealth appointment during regular school hours if such student would not be subject to any disciplinary measure or consequence for an absence for the purpose of receiving any health care services in person during regular school hours, and (iii) include such other requirements as the school board deems necessary and appropriate. Finally, the bill requires any school board that develops and implements any policies for permitting students to schedule and participate in telehealth services pursuant to the bill to provide and post in a publicly accessible location on its website at the beginning of each school year guidance relating to the implementation of such policies for administrative and instructional personnel. This bill incorporates SB 1130 and is identical to HB 1945.

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Mar 2025

Introduced Jan 7, 2025 Signed Mar 24, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

Education Substitute → Chaptered · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was finalized and chaptered, transitioning from a House substitute amendment to an approved Act of Assembly. The substantive policy changes include expanding the scope from general telehealth services to specifically include mental health teletherapy services, adding a new section 22.1-272.2 that requires the Department to develop a model memorandum of understanding for partnerships with mental health providers, and modifying the policy requirements to align with school counseling service standards.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include mental health teletherapy services alongside general telehealth services, and added a new requirement for the Department to create a model memorandum of understanding for school board partnerships with mental health providers.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new section 22.1-272.2 requiring the Department to develop and distribute a model memorandum of understanding for partnerships with community mental health providers or nationally recognized school-based telehealth providers.

Modified policy requirements to mandate that telehealth and mental health teletherapy services be provided on the same basis as school counseling services, with specific provisions for privacy, safety, and non-discrimination in disciplinary actions.

Added requirement that school boards implementing mental health teletherapy policies must enter into a memorandum of understanding with a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider in accordance with the Department's model memorandum.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded eligibility from general telehealth services to specifically include mental health teletherapy services for students during regular school hours on school property.

ENFORCEMENT

Strengthened enforcement by requiring policies to be consistent with memorandum of understanding parameters while allowing boards to be more comprehensive, and mandating public posting of implementation guidance on school websites.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 31, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 20, 2025

How they voted

40–0

Passed

Total votes 40

Jan 31, 2025

D Democratic21

21 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

19 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 24, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by Governor-Chapter 563 (Effective 07/01/25)

executive

Mar 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

Signed by President

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Signed by Speaker

lower

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1037ER)

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed House (52-Y 46-N)

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from Education with substitute (13-Y 9-N)

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 1-N)

lower

Feb 10, 2025

Committee

Assigned Educ sub: K-12 Subcommittee

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to Committee on Education

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day

upper

Jan 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

upper

Jan 16, 2025

Committee

Assigned Education sub: Public Education

upper

Jan 7, 2025

Committee

Referred to Committee on Education and Health

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor