# Virginia SB859: School boards; policies relating to volunteer student life counseling and support services. Virginia SB859, School boards; policies relating to volunteer student life counseling and support services., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bryce E. Reeves (Republican); status failed, last action 2025-02-18 (Left in Education) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB859-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB859 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: School boards; policies relating to volunteer student life counseling and support services. - Status: failed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-03 - Last action: 2025-02-18, Left in Education - Sponsor: Bryce E. Reeves (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Education - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (95 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary School boards; policies relating to volunteer student life counseling and support services; guidelines and requirements. Permits any school board to adopt a policy permitting certain individuals or groups to provide, on a volunteer basis, student life counseling or support services, as defined by the bill, on school property after regular school hours, in accordance with the requirements in the bill. The bill (i) requires a school board to hold a public hearing to provide an opportunity for public comment on the proposed policy prior to adopting such policy, to ensure that each student is free from pressure from the Commonwealth to engage in or refrain from religious observation on school property, and to ensure that the constitutional principles of freedom of religion and separation of church and state are observed at all times and (ii) requires such policy (a) to include background and criminal records check requirements for individuals volunteering to provide such support services; (b) to require written parental consent before any minor student participates in or receives such support services; (c) to require any approved individual or group to include on materials provided to students and parents information a parent or student may need in order to provide full and informed consent; (d) to be neutral with regard to religious preference, affiliation, or belief, or lack thereof, in the approval of an individual or group to provide such services and in the administration, oversight, or supervision of such services; and (e) to ensure that no such services are provided during regular school hours or in any manner that could cause conflict with instructional time. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Bryce E. Reeves (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-11 | House | Subcommittee recommends laying on the table | pass | 4 | 2 | 1 | | 2025-01-28 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2025-01-24 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 37 | 0 | | | 2025-01-23 | Senate | Reported from Education and Health | pass | 15 | 0 | | ## Actions (17) - 2025-02-18: Left in Education (House) - 2025-02-11: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (4-Y 2-N) (House) - 2025-02-10: Assigned Educ sub: K-12 Subcommittee (House) - 2025-02-03: Referred to Committee on Education (House) - 2025-02-03: Read first time (House) - 2025-02-03: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2025-01-28: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Engrossed by Senate (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Read second time (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (37-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-01-23: Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-20: Assigned Education sub: Public Education (Senate) - 2025-01-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB859) (Senate) - 2025-01-03: Referred to Committee on Education and Health (Senate) - 2025-01-03: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25100180D (Senate) ## Bill text - Introduced, 2025-01-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013634.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013633.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013634.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013633.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [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-SB859-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).