Committee moves permissive telehealth bill for school boards to consider on to appropriations

Delegate Reeser presented House Bill 1945, a permissive measure directing local school boards to consider policies that allow telehealth services for students at designated school locations with parental permission.

The committee adopted a technical amendment to clarify that if a school division chooses to offer telehealth, the policy may apply at selected schools rather than requiring every campus to participate. The amendment also specifies that designated locations must meet safety and privacy requirements and that telehealth visits would be treated like an in-person medical visit for attendance purposes.

Roanoke Public Schools’ Alan Seibert described his division’s two-year telehealth program and asked for clarity that adoption of a policy would not force districts to provide telehealth in all schools. Voices for Virginia’s Children and the Virginia Education Association testified in support, citing reduced absenteeism and improved access in underserved areas. Lorelei Singsank of the Disability Law Center Virginia testified online in support.

After discussion the committee voted to report the bill with the substitute and referred it to appropriations; the clerk recorded the vote as 6 to 0.

What’s next: HB 1945 was reported with the committee amendment and will go to appropriations; proponents urged local boards to adopt permissive policies to expand access in divisions with adequate broadband and designated safe, private locations.