VirginiaHB10712026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Public elementary and secondary schools & higher educational institutions; threat assessment teams.

Sponsored By: Amy J. Laufer (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Public elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education; threat assessment teams; training on emergency substantial risk orders and substantial risk orders. Requires threat assessment teams for public elementary and secondary schools and for public institutions of higher education to receive specific education and training, within existing annual training, on the use of emergency substantial risk orders and substantial risk orders, as set forth in relevant law.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

K-12 threat teams and parent notice

Local school boards must adopt threat assessment policies that match the state model and include referral to health providers. Each school must have a trained team with counseling, administration, and law enforcement expertise; new members train at the start and all members refresh every three years. Teams guide staff and students, and report activity data using the state tool. If a student is preliminarily found to be a threat, the team tells the superintendent right away, and the parent or guardian is contacted and given approved materials on recognizing risks, emergency substantial risk orders, and safe gun storage. Teams may access criminal and health records only after a preliminary threat finding, and team members may not share those records further. Divisions may set up an expert oversight committee. The Board of Education, Behavioral Health, and Health agencies set the rules and preapproved materials for recognizing threats.

Campus threat teams and quick alerts

Public colleges must adopt campus violence prevention policies and set up a committee that defines reporting and intervention steps. Each college must have a threat assessment team with law enforcement, mental health, and student affairs or HR members. Team members finish at least eight hours of training within 12 months and at least two hours each year, including how to use emergency substantial risk orders. Teams carry out committee policies and work with mental health and police. If a team finds an articulable and significant threat, it must obtain available records and notify campus and local police and the local Commonwealth’s Attorney within 24 hours, sharing the specific threat. Record holders must provide records when properly requested, and team members may not share them further. If a known threat transfers, the sending school must notify the receiving school or employer, in line with privacy laws.

New state center for school safety

The law creates the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety inside the Department of Criminal Justice Services. All state agencies must help the Center when asked. The Center and the Superintendent of Public Instruction must sign an agreement to coordinate audits and prevention work. The Center promotes public–private partnerships to support safety. It also names a statewide school safety official who posts division contacts and checks them every year.

Training, tools, and data for schools

The Center trains school staff on safety, anti‑bullying, and spotting students at risk. It provides a model policy for threat assessment teams that includes training on emergency substantial risk orders. The Center builds a critical incident response training program for public school staff and offers it to private schools that ask. It certifies school security officers and develops a case‑management tool for threat teams. The Center collects school safety audits and school resource officer data, runs workshops, and shares proven safety practices. It also gives technical help to divisions, and offers a model agreement on school resource officer roles.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Amy J. Laufer

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 160 • No: 59

Senate vote 3/2/2026

Passed Senate

Yes: 21 • No: 19

Senate vote 2/27/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 37 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/27/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Reported from Education and Health

Yes: 12 • No: 3

House vote 2/10/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 64 • No: 32

House vote 2/4/2026

Reported from Education

Yes: 17 • No: 4

House vote 2/3/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting

Yes: 9 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0046)

    4/2/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 46 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/2/2026Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/10/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    3/10/2026House
  5. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1071)

    3/9/2026House
  6. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1071ER)

    3/9/2026House
  7. Enrolled

    3/9/2026House
  8. Signed by President

    3/9/2026Senate
  9. Signed by Speaker

    3/9/2026House
  10. Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    3/2/2026Senate
  11. Read third time

    3/2/2026Senate
  12. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    2/27/2026Senate
  13. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/27/2026Senate
  14. Rules suspended

    2/27/2026Senate
  15. Reported from Education and Health (12-Y 3-N)

    2/26/2026Senate
  16. Assigned Education sub: Public Education

    2/19/2026Senate
  17. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    2/11/2026Senate
  18. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/11/2026Senate
  19. Read third time and passed House (64-Y 32-N 0-A)

    2/10/2026House
  20. Read second time and engrossed

    2/9/2026House
  21. Read first time

    2/6/2026House
  22. Reported from Education (17-Y 4-N)

    2/4/2026House
  23. Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

    2/3/2026House
  24. Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee

    1/30/2026House
  25. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1071)

    1/19/2026House

Bill Text

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