Del. Geary Higgins

Public elementary and secondary school students;parents' bill of rights established. Establishes, consistentwith § 1-240.1 of the Code of Virginia, several enumerated rightsfor the parents of each public elementary or secondary school studentin the Commonwealth, including the right to review any books, curricula,or instructional materials being taught or made available to theirchild and the right to be notified of any situation that directly affects their child's safety at school.

Land preservation tax credit; maximum amountincrease. Increases from $75 million to $100 million, beginningin 2024, the maximum amount of land preservation tax credits thatmay be issued in a calendar year.

State parks; procurement exemption; NaturalArea Preservation Funds created. Exempts the Department of Conservationand Recreation from competitive sealed bidding or competitive negotiationfor the purchase of items for resale at retail outlets and food servicesoperations at state parks. The bill also establishes the Natural Areas Preservation Projects Fund and the Natural Areas Preservation Acquisitionand Development Fund.

Elementary and secondary schools and institutionsof higher education; student participation in sports; access torestrooms and changing rooms. Requires each interscholastic,intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic team or sport sponsored by a public school, or any other school that is a member of the VirginiaHigh School League, or by a public institution of higher educationto be expressly designated as one of the following based on biologicalsex: (i) males, men, or boys; (ii) females, women, or girls; or (iii)coed or mixed if participation on such team or sport is open to bothmales, men, or boys and females, women, or girls. The bill prohibitsany such team or sport that is expressly designated for females,women, or girls from being open to students whose biological sex is male. The bill creates a civil cause of action for any studentthat suffers harm as a result of a knowing violation of a provisionof the bill by a school or institution or as a result of the student'sreporting a violation of a provision of the bill by a school, institution,athletic association, or organization. The bill also limits accessto any restroom or changing room that is capable of being accessedby more than one individual at one time in any public elementaryor secondary school building or building owned or controlled by any public institution of higher education exclusively to individualsof the same biological sex.

Department of Health; perinatal services forparents. Directs the Department of Health to obtain all availablefederal funding for services for expecting mothers and fathers.

Public schools; guidelines and policies regarding school-connected overdoses; parental notification; response and prevention. Directs the Board of Education to develop and distribute to each local school board guidelines on policies and procedures relating to school-connected overdose response and prevention. The bill requires each school board to notify the parent of each student in the local school division of any school-connected overdose within 24 hours of such overdose occurring and permits each school board to provide such notification through telephone, email, or other methods of notification, provided that such method of notification is consistent with the guidelines developed by the Board. Finally, the bill directs each school board to fully implement the provisions of the bill by the 2024-2025 school year.

K-12 schools and institutions of higher education; student participation in women's sports; civil cause of action. Requires each interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic team or sport sponsored by a public school, or any other school that is a member of the Virginia High School League, or by a public institution of higher education to be expressly designated as one of the following based on the biological sex of the students who participate on the team or in the sport: (i) males, men, or boys; (ii) females, women, or girls; or (iii) coed or mixed if participation on such team or sport is open to both males and females. The bill prohibits any such team or sport that is expressly designated for females from being open to students whose biological sex is male. The bill also provides that in the event of a dispute as to the biological sex of any student seeking to participate on any interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic team or sport that is expressly designated for males or females, such student may establish biological sex by presenting to the school or institution a signed physician's statement that attests to such student's biological sex based solely on (a) the student's internal and external reproductive anatomy; (b) the student's normal endogenously produced levels of testosterone; and (c) an analysis of the student's genetic makeup. The bill prohibits any government entity, licensing or accrediting organization, or athletic association or organization from entertaining a complaint, opening an investigation, or taking any other adverse action against any such school or institution of higher education based on a violation of the provisions of the bill and creates a cause of action for any school or institution of higher education that suffers harm as a result of a violation of the bill. Finally, the bill creates a civil cause of action for any student who suffers harm as a result of a knowing violation of a provision of the bill by a school or institution or as a result of the student's reporting a violation of a provision of the bill by a school, institution, athletic association, or organization.

Celebrating the life of Karen Harrison Jones.

Commending the Fauquier Free Clinic.

Celebrating the life of Karen Harrison Jones.