As the end of the session approaches, we continue to monitor the development of the remaining legislative proposals concerning suicide prevention and awareness training.
After a decade of failed attempts, the legislature has finally passed a measure that will abolish the common law crime of suicide. HB 43 (Simon) has been approved by both the House and the Senate and now moves to the Governor for review. During committee testimony, Delegate Simon explained that when Virginia was first established as a Commonwealth, we adopted the English common law, which at the time considered suicide to be a crime. English common law no longer considers it a crime. In Virginia, however, that designation continued and has lead to greater stigmatization of serious mental illness. It caused emotional and financial harm to the family members and loved ones of the person who took their own life.
HB 529 (Thornton) establishes a suicide prevention program in the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill has been approved by the House and by the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology. It was amended by Senate Finance to require collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. It has been “read” twice on the Senate floor. It is up for its final vote in the Senate today, then returns to the House to approve the amendments.
HB 38 (Henson) requires school personnel to have mental health awareness training, to include suicide prevention. The Bill was approved by both the House and the Senate. It now goes to the Governor for review.
HB 495 (Guzman) would have required mental health training for school bus drivers. As originally filed, the bill would have created a mandatory reporting tool, but that was removed from the bill before it was approved by the full House. When the bill moved to the Senate side, it was continued to 2027 by the Senate Committee on Education and Health.
Our mission is to advance independence, choice and self-determination; protect legal, human and civil rights; and eliminate abuse, neglect and discrimination of people with disabilities through zealous and uncompromising legal advocacy and representation. We are available to educate policy makers about the potential impact of legislative proposals.