SB 656 — Sexually explicit content; DOE shall develop model policies, parental notification.
Last action — Approved by Governor-Chapter 100 (effective 7/1/22)
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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✓Passed Senate
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✓Passed House of Delegates
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✓To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 19, 2022. Enacted.
Signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin (Republican) on April 06, 2022.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
HighHow often bills like it became law.
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Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
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12 sponsors
1 primary, 11 co-sponsors signed on.
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Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 5 recorded votes so far.
Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.
Summary
Department of Education; local school boards; policies on sexually explicit content in instructional material. Requires the Department of Education to develop no later than July 31, 2022, model policies and each local school board to adopt no later than January 1, 2023, policies for ensuring parental notification of any instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to (i) ensuring parental notification; (ii) directly identifying the specific instructional material and sexually explicit subjects; and (iii) permitting the parent of any student to review instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and provide, as an alternative, nonexplicit instructional material and related academic activities to any student whose parent so requests. The bill provides that the local school board policies shall be consistent with but may be more comprehensive than the model policies developed by the Department. The bill states that the provisions of the bill shall not be construed as requiring or providing for the censoring of books in public elementary and secondary schools.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
28 added · 27 removedPlain-language change summary
The amendment changes the date by which the Department of Education must develop and make available model policies to school boards from January 1, 2023, to July 31, 2022. It also modifies the phrasing in a few sections for clarity but does not alter the requirements outlined in the bill. This change means that school boards will receive guidance on policies regarding sexually explicit content in instructional materials sooner than originally planned.
SESSION ENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY ––-- 2022 SESSION CHAPTER E100 An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-16.8, relating to the N Department of Education;
Rarentalparental notification.
O [S 656] L Approved LApril 6, 2022 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
E 1.
D A.
ensuringB. parental notification of any instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to:
The Department shall develop and make available to each school board model policies for include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to:ludes sexually explicit content and 1.
Bnd content and provide,3. as an alternative, nonexplicit instructional material and related academic activitiest to any student whose parent so requests.
EPermitting C.the parent of any student to review instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and provide, as an alternative, nonexplicit instructional material and related academic activities to any student whose parent so requests.
C.
That the Department of Education shall develop and make available to each school board model laterpolicies thanpursuant Julyto 31,subsection 2022.ection B of § 22.1-16.8 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, no 3.later than July 31, 2022.
3.
View plain text versions (5)
- CHAP0100 View text Current pdf April 06, 2022
- SB656ER View text pdf March 02, 2022
- SB656S2 View text pdf February 07, 2022
- Committee Substitute Committee substitute printed 22105720D-S1 pdf February 03, 2022
- Presented and ordered printed 22100756D View text pdf January 19, 2022
Action History
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Approved by Governor-Chapter 100 (effective 7/1/22)
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Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 11, 2022
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Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 9, 2022
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Signed by President
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Impact statement from DPB (SB656ER)
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Signed by Speaker
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Enrolled
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VOTE: Passage (52-Y 46-N)
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Passed House (52-Y 46-N)
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Read third time
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Read second time
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Reported from Education (12-Y 10-N)
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Referred to Committee on Education
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Read first time
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Placed on Calendar
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Impact statement from DPB (SB656S2)
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Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 18-N)
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Passed by for the day
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Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute SB656S2
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Substitute by Senator Dunnavant agreed to 22106195D-S2
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Reading of substitute waived
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Committee substitute rejected 22105720D-S1
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Read second time
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Floor substitute printed 22106195D-S2 (Dunnavant)
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Constitutional reading dispensed (35-Y 0-N)
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Reported from Education and Health with substitute (8-Y 7-N)
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Committee substitute printed 22105720D-S1
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Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
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Impact statement from DPB (SB656)
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Senate subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered
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Assigned Education sub: Public Education
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Referred to Committee on Education and Health
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Presented and ordered printed 22100756D
Sponsors
- T. Travis Hackworth · Cosponsor
- Mark J. Peake · Cosponsor
- Todd E. Pillion · Cosponsor
- Bryce E. Reeves · Cosponsor
- Jr. William M. Stanley · Cosponsor
- David R. Suetterlein · Cosponsor
- Bill DeSteph · Cosponsor
- Dave A. LaRock · Cosponsor
- Ruff, Frank M., Jr. · Cosponsor
- Jennifer A. Kiggans · Cosponsor
- Amanda F. Chase · Cosponsor
- Siobhan S. Dunnavant · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 11 co-sponsors · 136 not signed on · 61 voted No
"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 51 | 46 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 51 | 46 | 0 | 2 |
| % of votes cast | 52% | 46% | 0% | 2% |
How each member voted (99)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 12 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 12 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 55% | 45% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (22)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Greenhalgh, Karen S. | — | Yea |
| Anne Ferrell Tata | — | Yea |
| Avoli, G. "John" | — | Yea |
| Batten, Amanda E. | — | Yea |
| Bourne, Jeffrey M. | — | Nay |
| Briana D. Sewell | — | Nay |
| Coyner, Carrie E. | — | Yea |
| Davis, Glenn R. | — | Yea |
| Delores L. McQuinn | — | Nay |
| Filler-Corn, Eileen | — | Nay |
| Freitas, Nicholas J. | — | Yea |
| Guzman, Elizabeth R. | — | Nay |
| LaRock, Dave A. | — | Yea |
| Maldonado, Michelle Lopes | — | Nay |
| McGuire, John J., III | — | Yea |
| Mike A. Cherry | — | Yea |
| Sam Rasoul | — | Nay |
| Schuyler T. VanValkenburg | — | Nay |
| Shelly A. Simonds | — | Nay |
| Subramanyam, Suhas | — | Nay |
| Tara A. Durant | — | Yea |
| Wampler, William C., III | — | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 20 | 18 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 20 | 18 | 0 | 2 |
| % of votes cast | 50% | 45% | 0% | 5% |
How each member voted (40)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 35 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 35 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| % of votes cast | 88% | 0% | 0% | 13% |
How each member voted (40)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 53% | 47% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (15)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Barker, George L. | — | Nay |
| Cosgrove, John A., Jr. | — | Yea |
| David R. Suetterlein | — | Yea |
| Dunnavant, Siobhan S. | — | Yea |
| Edwards, John S. | — | Nay |
| Hashmi, Ghazala F. | — | Nay |
| Howell, Janet D. | — | Nay |
| L. Louise Lucas | — | Nay |
| Lewis, Lynwood W., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Mamie E. Locke | — | Nay |
| Mark J. Peake | — | Yea |
| Newman, Stephen D. | — | Yea |
| Petersen, J. Chapman | — | Yea |
| Saslaw, Richard L. | — | Nay |
| Todd E. Pillion | — | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 656 do?
- Department of Education; local school boards; policies on sexually explicit content in instructional material. Requires the Department of Education to develop no later than July 31, 2022, model policies and each local school board to adopt no later than January 1, 2023, policies for ensuring parental notification of any instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to (i) ensuring parental notification; (ii) directly identifying the specific instructional material and sexually explicit subjects; and (iii) permitting the parent of any student to review instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and provide, as an alternative, nonexplicit instructional material and related academic activities to any student whose parent so requests. The bill provides that the local school board policies shall be consistent with but may be more comprehensive than the model policies developed by the Department. The bill states that the provisions of the bill shall not be construed as requiring or providing for the censoring of books in public elementary and secondary schools.
- Who sponsors SB 656?
- SB 656 is sponsored by T. Travis Hackworth, Mark J. Peake, Todd E. Pillion, Bryce E. Reeves, William M. Stanley, Jr., David R. Suetterlein, Bill DeSteph, LaRock, Dave A., Ruff, Frank M., Jr., Kiggans, Jennifer A., Chase, Amanda F., and Dunnavant, Siobhan S..
- What is the current status of SB 656?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 19, 2022. Enacted.
- Where can I track SB 656?
- Track SB 656 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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