HB1486 • 2026

Public schools; student instruction, addictive potential of time spent using certain electr. device.

An Act to amend and reenact § 22.1-206 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public schools; student instruction; addictive potential of time spent using certain electronic devices.

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Rasoul
Last action: 2026-04-06
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify when schools must start teaching about screen time risks or how detailed the Board of Education’s guidelines will be.

Schools Must Teach About Screen Time Risks

This law requires Virginia's public schools to teach students about the risks of spending too much time on electronic devices like computers and cell phones.

What This Bill Does

Adds a new requirement for public schools in Virginia to teach students about the addictive potential of using electronic devices such as computers, cell phones, and other smart devices.

Who It Names or Affects

Public school students in Virginia will receive new lessons about electronic device use.
The Board of Education must create guidelines for these new lessons.

Terms To Know

Board of Education: A state agency that sets rules and standards for public schools, including what students should learn.
Screen time: The amount of time spent using electronic devices like computers or cell phones.

Limits and Unknowns

It is not clear how the Board of Education will create these guidelines.
There are no details on when schools must start teaching about screen time risks.

Bill History

2026-04-06 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 318 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-06 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 318 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-06 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0318)
2026-03-10 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
2026-03-10 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-09 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-09 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-09 House
Enrolled
2026-03-09 House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1486ER)
2026-03-09 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1486)
2026-03-02 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-02 Senate
Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-27 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-27 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-27 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-26 Education and Health
Reported from Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)
2026-02-19 Public Education
Assigned Education sub: Public Education
2026-02-11 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-11 Education and Health
Referred to Committee on Education and Health
2026-02-10 House
Read third time and passed House (94-Y 4-N 0-A)
2026-02-09 House
Read second time and engrossed
2026-02-06 House
Read first time
2026-02-04 Education
Reported from Education (19-Y 2-N)
2026-02-04 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1486)
2026-02-03 K-12 Subcommittee
Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)
2026-01-30 K-12 Subcommittee
Assigned HED sub: K-12 Subcommittee
2026-01-23 House
Presented and ordered printed 26104410D
2026-01-23 Education
Referred to Committee on Education

Official Summary Text

Public schools; student instruction; addictive potential of time spent using certain electronic devices.
Requires instruction concerning time spent using electronic devices such as computers, cell phones, and other smart devices and the addictive potential thereof to be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board of Education. This bill is identical to SB 568.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend and reenact §
22.1-206
of the Code of Virginia, relating to public schools; student instruction; addictive potential of time spent using certain electronic devices.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
22.1-206
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
22.1-206
. Instruction concerning drugs, alcohol, substance abuse, retail tobacco products, hemp products intended for smoking, gambling, and screen time.
A. Instruction concerning drugs and drug abuse shall be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board of Education.
B. Instruction concerning the public safety hazards and dangers of alcohol abuse, underage drinking, and drunk driving shall be provided in the public schools. The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority shall provide educational materials to the Department of Education. The Department of Education shall review and shall distribute such materials as are approved to the public schools.
The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth shall develop and the Department of Education shall distribute to each local school division educational materials concerning the health and safety risks of using retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking, as such terms are defined in §
18.2-371.2
. Instruction concerning the health and safety risks of using tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking, as such terms are defined in §
18.2-371.2
, shall be provided in each public elementary and secondary school in the Commonwealth, consistent with such educational materials.
C. Instruction concerning gambling and the addictive potential thereof shall be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board.
D. Instruction concerning time spent using electronic devices such as computers, cell phones, and other smart devices and the addictive potential thereof shall be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board.