Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed three bills, including SB 614 to combat the manufacturing of Xylazine and SB 726 to require local school boards to develop policies and procedures for opioid overdose prevention and treatment in schools.
On May 23, Youngkin also signed SB 725 to rename the “Drug Treatment Court Act” to the “Recovery Court Act” reflecting a broader focus on recovery rather than just treatment and initiating a more holistic approach to addressing substance abuse issues. The bills were signed at Abingdon High School with more than 500 students and concluded with a school-wide REVIVE! Training on life-saving naloxone.
“These bills are a testament to our continued efforts to address addiction and overdose prevention by raising awareness and providing much-needed resources,” Youngkin said. “We will continue to follow every path, use every asset and employ every bit of our shared will to combat this epidemic. This is my pledge to all Virginians.”
First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin said supporting Virginians who are battling substance abuse every step of the way is critically important.
“That includes taking preventive action, providing ample educational resources, and changing the narrative to be more holistic, encouraging, and all-encompassing. I applaud the immense work being done by all legislators and leaders to support this most important mission,” she said.
Sen. Todd Pillion said that the bill’s impact will be reflected in the lives the legislation touches.
“This crisis knows no bounds, which means we have an obligation to remain vigilant and creative in our policymaking to ensure our schools and communities are safe, families are educated, and that help is readily available. The Commonwealth has consistently demonstrated a bipartisan commitment to an all-hands-on-deck approach to combating this epidemic and that spirit is needed now more than eve,” Pillion said.
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Rebecca Barnabi
