An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-279.6:1, relating to private elementary and secondary schools; student codes of conduct; policies relating to bullying and cyberbullying prevention and parental notification; requirements.
HB894 adds a new section to the Code of Virginia requiring private elementary and secondary schools to include specific bullying- and cyberbullying-related provisions in their student codes of conduct. The bill directs each school’s chief administrator to adopt policies and procedures for addressing bullying, cyberbullying, and hazing, and to ensure those policies are consistent with applicable state, federal, and case law. It also requires training or information for school personnel on managing student conduct and includes language aimed at reducing bias and harassment in enforcement of student discipline rules.
The bill further requires private schools to prohibit bullying and to adopt procedures for cyberbullying between enrolled students. A key requirement is parental notification within 24 hours after a bullying incident is confirmed. The policies must also protect students who report or witness bullying or cyberbullying from retaliation and must include a hazing prohibition. Schools may adopt more comprehensive policies than the minimum standards set by the bill, and they may use Board of Education model policies as guidance.
HB894 creates a new statutory requirement specifically for private elementary and secondary schools in Virginia, expanding the Code of Virginia to regulate their student conduct policies on bullying, cyberbullying, and hazing. It does not appear to create a new enforcement regime or private cause of action, but it does impose mandatory policy-content requirements on private schools and requires timely parental notification in confirmed bullying cases. The bill affects private school administrators, students, parents, and school personnel by setting baseline conduct-policy standards that schools must incorporate into their handbooks or codes of conduct.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded vote debate, so there is no documented split in the provided materials. The bill’s enactment as Chapter 236 suggests it ultimately received sufficient support to pass and be signed into law. Based on the text alone, the measure appears framed as a child-safety and school-discipline policy bill, with an emphasis on prevention, reporting, and parental awareness.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided committee or vote history. Potential areas of concern, based on the bill text, would likely include the scope of state regulation over private schools, the 24-hour parental-notification requirement, and the administrative burden of implementing training and anti-bias procedures. The bill also leaves room for schools to adopt more comprehensive policies, which may have reduced opposition by preserving flexibility.