# Virginia SB529: Public schools; school security and discipline, employment of school security officers, training. Virginia SB529, Public schools; school security and discipline, employment of school security officers, training., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by J.D. "Danny" Diggs (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0503)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB529-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB529 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Public schools; school security and discipline, employment of school security officers, training. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0503) - Sponsor: J.D. "Danny" Diggs (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 8 (312 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 12 ## Summary Public schools; school security and discipline; employment of school security officers; training requirements. Amends the requirements for the training course of which an individual employed as a school security officer is required to submit proof of completion to the Department of Criminal Justice Services in order to carry a firearm in the performance of his duties by (i) eliminating the requirement that such training course include training in active shooter emergency response and, instead, requiring it to include training in critical incident preparedness and response and (ii) clarifying that such training course include training in behavioral threat assessment. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - At-risk nonprofits get hate-crime security guidance: benefit, low. Virginia must create a model security policy for nonprofits serving people and communities at risk of hate crimes. It must cover security best practices. It must also explain traditions, services, and activities that police and armed or unarmed security officers may encounter. - Corrections dogs get training and tracking: benefit, low. Virginia must set minimum training standards for corrections detector dog handlers and standards for training and keeping detector dogs. It must create a central database to track their performance. Corrections must report comprehensive handler and dog information, including search results and coun… - Investigators get trauma-aware sexual assault training: benefit, low. Virginia must develop sexual assault investigation training that accounts for the effects of trauma and brings together different professional roles. The training is for law-enforcement personnel involved in these investigations. The department must consult the State Council of Higher Education for… - Jails get a voluntary recovery model: benefit, low. Virginia must develop a model addiction recovery program for local and regional jails with the state behavioral health department. The model must draw on existing Virginia jail recovery programs. Jail officials may run it, but the law does not require them to do so. Participation in the program is… - Overdose guidance covers notifying drug prescribers: benefit, low. Virginia must create a model police policy on notifying prescribers during overdose responses or investigations. It covers cases where officers obtain the prescriber’s details and a drug they prescribed is found with the victim. It also covers cases where officers believe the victim took that presc… - Police can seek military equipment waivers: benefit, low. Virginia must create and run a process for police agencies to request waivers to use certain military property. The process must follow state law. Waivers granted by the Criminal Justice Services Board must be posted on the department’s website. - Police get crisis and disability training: benefit, low. Police basic training and recertification must include crisis intervention. Required disability training covers intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism recognition, crisis prevention, de-escalation, communication tools, and community resources. The state must consult at least one autist… - Police training covers force and wellness: benefit, low. Virginia must set required ongoing police training standards and how often officers retrain. Training covers relevant law, cultural diversity, bias-based profiling, de-escalation, disability and behavioral health needs, and lawful force. It must teach that deadly force is used only when necessary t… - School officers get required safety training: benefit, low. Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services must set employment, certification, entry-level, and ongoing training standards for school security officers. It must consult the education department and State Crime Commission, with help from an advisory committee. Training covers law, liability,… - Workers get online trafficking awareness courses: benefit, low. Virginia must develop online courses on spotting and reporting suspected human trafficking. Courses serve hotel owners and workers, plus armed and unarmed security officers, couriers, security canine handlers, and alarm respondents. The security course must meet applicable minimum, entry-level, and… - Schools can hire qualified armed guards: mixed, medium. Virginia school boards and private or religious schools may hire school security officers. To carry a gun, officers must have held a qualifying law-enforcement job within the 10 years before hiring. They must have retired or resigned in good standing and meet state firearm training and qualificatio… - Officer conduct rules include review rights: mixed, low. Virginia must set statewide conduct standards for certified police and jail officers. Serious misconduct that breaks those standards can lead to loss of certification, with due process and review procedures. The state must set rules for officers to petition for restored certification; approval is n… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: J.D. "Danny" Diggs (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 | | | 2026-02-27 | House | Reported from Public Safety | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2026-02-10 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-09 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-06 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-06 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health | pass | 15 | 0 | | ## Actions (30) - 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0503) (Governor) - 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 503 (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) - 2026-03-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB529) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB529ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-04: Passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-04: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House) - 2026-03-04: Passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-04: Read third time (House) - 2026-03-03: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-27: Reported from Public Safety (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-02-13: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House) - 2026-02-13: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-02-10: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Assigned Education sub: Public Education (Senate) - 2026-01-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB529) (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101784D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218175.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218174.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198853.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198852.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090707.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090706.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/1218175.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218174.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198853.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198852.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090707.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090706.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) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB529-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).