CHAPTER 322
An Act to amend and reenact § 22.1-16.8 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Education; policies relating to instructional material that contains sexually explicit content; applicability; construction.
[S 19]
Approved April 6, 2026
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 22.1-16.8 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 22.1-16.8 . Instructional material; sexually explicit content; parental notification.
A. As used in this section , "sexually :
"Instructional material" means any material, regardless of its format, assigned and provided to a student by a public school teacher directly for the completion of an assignment or curricular objective of a specific instructional program. "Instructional material" does not include any book or other audiovisual material available in any public school library unless such book or audiovisual material is specifically required or assigned by a public school teacher directly for completion of an assignment or curricular objective of a specific instructional program.
"Sexually explicit content" has the same meaning as provided in subsection A of § 2.2-2827 .
B. The Department shall develop and make available to each school board model policies for ensuring parental notification of any instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to: