Designating August 1, in 2026 and each succeeding year, as Internet Safety and Online Predator Awareness Day.
HJ36 is a joint resolution that designates August 1, beginning in 2026 and continuing ყოველ year thereafter, as Internet Safety and Online Predator Awareness Day in Virginia. The resolution is primarily commemorative and educational rather than regulatory. It frames the observance around the risks associated with online activity, including cyberbullying, identity theft, elder fraud, child exploitation, online solicitation, and exposure to harmful content on social media.
The resolution encourages public awareness of digital safety and calls attention to the need for partnerships among law enforcement, schools, and community organizations to promote internet safety education. It also directs the Clerk of the House of Delegates to post the designation on the General Assembly’s website. The measure does not create new criminal penalties or substantive enforcement mechanisms; instead, it establishes an annual observance intended to support outreach and prevention efforts.
HJ36 does not amend the Code of Virginia or impose new legal duties on residents, businesses, schools, or state agencies beyond the ceremonial website posting requirement. Its practical effect is to create a recurring state observance that can be used by public agencies, educators, and advocacy groups to promote internet safety programming, anti-cyberbullying efforts, and fraud prevention awareness, especially for children, teens, and older adults.
The overall sentiment reflected in the bill text is strongly supportive and preventive. The resolution presents internet safety as a broadly shared public concern and emphasizes the need to protect vulnerable groups from online harms. Because the bill passed both chambers and there is no recorded committee dissent or vote opposition in the provided materials, the available record suggests little to no controversy and a generally favorable reception.
No specific points of contention are shown in the provided legislative history, and there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes indicating opposition. If any debate existed, it is not reflected in the materials provided. The bill’s focus on awareness rather than regulation likely reduced controversy, since it does not alter criminal law, impose compliance obligations, or allocate funding.