Overdose crisis spurs school notification bills, but key details still up for debate

With drug overdoses continuing to strain Virginia communities, a proposal requiring schools to notify parents of overdose cases is gaining momentum in the General Assembly. However, lawmakers remain divided on whether schools should report “suspected” overdoses or only “confirmed” cases, a key sticking point that could shape the bill’s final language.

Virginia recorded 21,881 drug overdose emergency department visits in 2023, a 2% decrease from 2022, according to recent data by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). Despite the slight decline, fentanyl overdoses remain a major concern, prompting legislative action.

Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield, who sponsored Senate Bill 1240, supports a House amendment expanding the reporting requirement to include colleges and universities. His bill cleared the House Education Committee on Monday, but now faces further scrutiny in the full House. This comes after a similar proposal by Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, failed in the Democratic-controlled House by 42-57 last session.

“We don‘t want schools to wait until law enforcement confirms it, or the hospital does the toxicology or the blood work to confirm that it was, in fact, an overdose,” Sturtevant said. “We want them to sort of err on the side of providing more information sooner to parents because if we [wait] … it can take a week or longer for lab results to get back.”

A related measure, HB 2424 and HB 2287, carried by Dels. Geary Higgins, R-Loudoun, and Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, showing strong bipartisan interest in addressing the crisis.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration has made fentanyl prevention a priority, signing two executive orders related to overdose response during his tenure.

Executive Order 26 outlined a “comprehensive” strategy to combat fentanyl and opioid abuse, while Executive Order 28 directed the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to ensure school divisions notify parents of school-connected overdoses within 24 hours.

The urgency behind the second order came after nine opioid overdoses were documented in Loudoun County Public Schools in October 2023. The administration criticized the district for waiting more than 20 days to notify parents, despite evidence of multiple such cases.

However, Executive Order 28 did not specify a deadline for when VDOE should issue guidance, and lawmakers say a legislative mandate for VDOE and VDH to set clear school protocols is long overdue.

Higgins said he doesn’t understand why schools hesitate to notify parents but hopes the bill will require school divisions to report where an overdose occurred and include “suspected” cases — not just confirmed ones.

“We’re not trying to point out anybody or anything,” Higgins said. “We’re trying to make sure parents know what’s going on and if you don’t know what’s going on, how do you fix it?”

With both bills now reaching each chamber, lawmakers have until Saturday’s session deadline to hammer out the final language — ensuring schools balance transparency with accuracy in overdose reporting.