# Virginia SB245: School boards; use of social media by schools, etc.

Virginia SB245, School boards; use of social media by schools, etc., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Christopher T. Head (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0338)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB245-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB245
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: School boards; use of social media by schools, etc.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0338)
- Sponsor: Christopher T. Head (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 11 (411 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

School boards; use of social media platforms as sole means of certain communications prohibited. Provides that each school board shall prohibit public elementary and secondary schools, school board employees, and school volunteers from using a social media platform as the sole means of communication with students for the facilitation of school-related extracurricular activities. The bill clarifies that the foregoing prohibition shall not be construed to prohibit the use of school division-approved communication or messaging applications. The bill provides an exception to such prohibition when such use is required to meet an objective that cannot be reasonably achieved without such use, provided that the division superintendent or his designee (i) provides clear, written instructions on such use and (ii) may revoke such exception at any time.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Schools can't use only social media for activities: mixed, low. School boards must ban using a social media platform as the only way to contact students about extracurricular activities. Schools can use district‑approved messaging apps and other methods. The superintendent can give a written exception only when no other method can meet the goal. The exception m…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Christopher T. Head (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | House Amendments agreed to by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Passed House with amendments Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Passed House with amendments Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | House | Reported from Education with amendment(s) | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 9 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | Senate | Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 35 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (41)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0338) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 338 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB245) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB245ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-04: House Amendments agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Passed House with amendments Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2026-03-02: Passed House with amendments Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-03-02: committee amendments agreed to (House)
- 2026-03-02: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-27: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-25: Reported from Education with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-24: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (9-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-02-24: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-19: Referred to Committee on Education (House)
- 2026-02-19: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-19: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Blank Action (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB245) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Committee substitute printed 26107894D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Reported from Education and Health with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB245) (Senate)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100795D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217563.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217562.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198869.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198868.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188736.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179283.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177635.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177982.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143343.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145036.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143342.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145035.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086977.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086976.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217563.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217562.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198869.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198868.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188736.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179283.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177635.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177982.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143343.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145036.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143342.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145035.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086977.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086976.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB245-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).