Committee removes civil-immunity language from school bleeding-control bill and refers measure for further review

Delegate Clark presented HB 1700, which would require each school board in Virginia to develop a bleeding-control program for primary and secondary schools and place bleeding-control kits in accessible locations. Clark said the American College of Surgeons (ACS) provides free training and that the programs typically require only short training sessions for school staff.

The committee discussed whether the bill should include explicit civil-immunity protections for school employees who use bleeding-control kits in emergencies. The transcript shows the committee considered whether existing sovereign-immunity or other statutory immunity provisions already protect school employees when they act in the course of their duties. Senate questions also focused on funding: there is no state appropriation in the fiscal-impact statement, and local cost impacts were listed as indeterminate; committee members noted kits vary in price from roughly $15–$100 depending on components.

Senator Carol Foy moved a substitute amendment striking the bill’s civil-immunity language. Committee members debated whether removing immunity would discourage use of kits or whether existing protections make the separate immunity clause unnecessary. After discussion, the committee voted to re-refer the amended bill for further review; the clerk recorded a unanimous committee vote (14–0) on the action and the committee referred the bill onward (the motion as recorded indicated referral to finance after vetting). Delegates and witnesses, including Jason Wilson of the Virginia chapter of the American College of Surgeons, testified in favor of adopting bleeding-control programs statewide.

Why it matters: The change would require school divisions to adopt emergency bleeding-control programs and place kits in schools. Lawmakers debated whether additional liability protection is needed for school employees who use kits in emergencies and how local divisions would pay for kits.

Quotes: "These sessions typically last no longer than 90 minutes...the average time for someone to bleed out is around 3 to 5 minutes," Jason Wilson, a surgeon with the American College of Surgeons, said in support of the bill. "If the liability isn’t there, that is a possibility" that staff would hesitate to use kits, Delegate Clark said when describing concerns about removing immunity.

Ending: The committee struck the stand-alone civil-immunity language and re-referred HB 1700 as amended for additional review; committee members asked staff and sponsors to coordinate with education stakeholders on funding, training and policy guidance.