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In response to rising concerns about student overdoses, Virginia lawmakers are taking another step toward ensuring greater transparency and accountability in schools. State Senator Glen Sturtevant and Delegate Geary Higgins are reintroducing legislation that would require schools to notify parents within 24 hours of a student overdose. This bill follows a string of overdose incidents in schools, particularly in Loudoun County, and reflects a growing effort to involve families more directly in addressing the opioid crisis that is affecting youth.
According to WJLA news, Senator Sturtevant, a Republican from Chesterfield, highlighted the importance of parental involvement in the event of a student overdose. “Imagine if a student brought a loaded handgun to school,” Sturtevant said. “All the other parents in that school deserve to know about that. It should be the same with overdoses.” This straightforward analogy underscores the lawmakers’ belief that parents have the right to be informed about any danger their child may be exposed to while in school.
This bill is not new; it marks the second time the legislation will be introduced in Virginia. The idea gained significant traction last year when the Virginia State Senate unanimously passed the proposal, only for it to be blocked in the House of Delegates, where Democrats did not fully support the measure. The opposition from House Democrats, particularly their caucus position against the bill last year, came as a surprise to many. "Everyone knows the dangers of fentanyl,” said Sturtevant, referencing the growing epidemic of opioid overdoses, particularly among young people.
The push for parental notification gained urgency after a series of student fentanyl overdoses in Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) in late 2023. The school district’s delayed response in informing parents about these incidents was widely criticized. At the time, it took several weeks for the district to notify parents about the overdoses, sparking outrage among community members. This failure to act led to calls for legislative change, with Governor Glenn Youngkin issuing an executive order in response, mandating schools to notify parents within 24 hours of any student overdose.
The Governor’s executive order, which took effect in 2023, has already had a noticeable impact. Reports from Northern Virginia indicate a dramatic decline in juvenile drug overdoses since the policy was enacted. “It’s absolutely helping,” Governor Youngkin said in a recent interview, noting the positive results of the order. However, the executive order is temporary and could be rescinded by a future governor, which is why lawmakers like Delegate Geary Higgins are pushing for a permanent legislative solution.
“I think the proof is in our experience since the governor implemented the policy from his office and it has had a good result,” Higgins said. He emphasized that making the parental notification requirement law would provide long-term benefits for both students and parents. "It’s good for the kids most of all, but it lets the parents be aware and help the schools control the problem," he added.
The new bill would ensure that this policy remains in place beyond Youngkin’s tenure, preventing future political shifts from undoing the progress made in reducing overdoses. Although the bill faces opposition from some factions, including individuals connected to the LCPS school board who have lobbied against it, the growing support for parental involvement continues to push the issue forward.
As Virginia lawmakers prepare to introduce the bill again in the upcoming legislative session, it remains to be seen whether the proposal will gain the necessary traction to pass. However, with widespread concerns about the dangers of fentanyl and the need for greater transparency in schools, the push for mandatory overdose notifications is likely to remain a high priority for many parents, lawmakers, and advocates.
The debate continues, but one thing is clear: parental notification is a critical step toward ensuring that families are not left in the dark when it comes to their children's safety and well-being in the face of the opioid crisis.
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