Each year we update our Virginia Rules curriculum to reflect the state law changes from the past General Assembly session. All new lesson materials for Virginia Rules instructors are posted on the Instructor Portal (login required).
Module Change
Alcohol, Tobacco/Nicotine and Marijuana: Content and law changes on tobacco and nicotine products have been updated and a new handout, “Tobacco and Nicotine: Harmful and Deceptive,” has been added to address recent trends away from traditional cigarette smoking to vaping and nicotine products.
Selected Law Changes
This is not a comprehensive list, but highlights some of the recent law updates that affect the Virginia Rules curriculum.
- HB 994 – Legal age for marriage; establishes legal age to be 18 years and eliminates the ability for a minor to be declared emancipated on the basis of the intent to marry. (Civil Law Basics, Family Relationships and the Law)
- HB 100 – Child labor offenses, increases penalty from $10,000 to $25,000 for each violation of child labor laws that results in employment of child who is seriously injured or dies in the course of employment. (Teens and Employment)
- SB 469 – Manufacturing fentanyl. The bill makes it a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than 10 nor more than 40 years for any person 18 years of age or older to knowingly allow a minor or a mentally incapacitated or physically helpless person of any age to be present during the manufacture or attempted manufacture of any substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. (Opioids, Drugs Overview)
- HB 719/SB 379 – Research-based hazing prevention instruction for students in high school (Alcohol, Tobacco/Nicotine & Marijuana, Intro to Laws in Virginia, Crimes Against Persons, Bullying, Gangs)
- HB 155/SB 646 – Creates an exception for cases involving claims of sexual abuse of a minor where the conduct constitutes a felony, in which the passage of time shall not be a barrier to when the victim can file a claim. (Victims’ Rights)
- SB 614/HB 1187 – Xylazine, penalty for manufacturing etc. for human consumption. (Drugs Overview)
For More Information
To see a full list of each year’s legislative changes, you can view them online.
