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Subcommittee advances notification bill reminding parents on safe drug and firearm storage
Summary
House Bill 1678, requiring schools to notify parents about secure prescription and firearm storage within 30 days of the school year start, was reported 8–0 after unanimous subcommittee support and witness endorsements.
The K-12 Education Subcommittee on Jan. 15 unanimously reported House Bill 1678, a parental-notification measure that would require local school boards to send an annual email or text within 30 calendar days of the first day of school reminding guardians about safe storage of prescription medications and firearms.
Sponsor Delegate Cohen described the bill as a simple notification requirement intended to reduce accidental poisonings and gun-related injuries among children. The statute would also require school boards to post the notification in multiple languages on their websites, where applicable.
Supporters: Testimony included Jackie Bealhart of Virginia Moms for Change, who cited research showing firearms are a leading cause of death for children, and Laura Klute of the Virginia PTA, who noted data indicating more than 80% of child firearm suicides involve guns obtained from homes where they were unsecured. Shane Riddle of the Virginia Education Association also said the VEA supports the bill as a straightforward parental-notification policy.
Committee action: Delegate Cohen moved to report the bill; the subcommittee voted 8–0 to report HB1678. The measure will proceed for further consideration.
Ending: Supporters said the notice is a low-cost, informational step that reinforces existing laws and could save lives; the bill’s language relies on local divisions to deliver notices and on boards to provide multilingual access when necessary.
