Del. Thomas’ proposal to enhance diabetes support in Virginia public schools clears legislature

A bill brought forward by state Del. Joshua E. Thomas seeks to bolster diabetes support across Virginia public schools and revise related state guidelines after securing passage in the House and Senate, according to the Virginia State House.

The measure cleared both sides of the legislature and was officially enrolled on March 30, 2026, passing the House with a vote of 96-0 and the Senate with a 40-0 margin.

Identified as HB1301 and introduced on Jan. 15, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, the bill is described by lawmakers as: “School boards; student diabetes care & management in schools, division wide plan required.”

Below is an explanation based on the statutory language of the bill, which may offer interpretive clarification.

The act increases expectations for public schools in Virginia, specifying types of diabetes management, recognizing various insulin administration approaches and related technologies, and outlining responsibilities of trained school staff—with healthcare provider authorization and parental approval. Interim support must be in place within 30 days if needed, and participation with device insertion is to be offered when possible. It maintains liability protections, upholds the scope of nursing practice, and calls for revised state guidance covering training for bus drivers, recognizing students covered under Section 504, required public feedback on updates, systemic data on glucagon provision, and further regulatory adjustments.

For the House approval, voting totaled 61 Democrats and 35 Republicans in support.

In the Senate, all 21 Democrats and 19 Republicans gave the bill their approval.

Chief sponsors were Del. Joshua E. Thomas (Democrat-21st District), Del. Mike A. Cherry (Republican-74th District), and Del. Thomas A. Garrett, Jr. (Republican-56th District).

Thomas holds a BA from Vanderbilt University (2010) and a JD from The College of William and Mary (2018).

A Democrat, Thomas won election to the Virginia State House in 2024, representing the 21st House district and succeeding Kelly Convirs-Fowler as the district’s representative.

The legislavtive process in Virginia starts with the introduction of a bill in either the House of Delegates or Senate before moving through committee review, floor deliberation, and a vote in both chambers. Once a measure has cleared both chambers, the governor has the authority to sign it into law, veto, or permit it to become law without signing. Each year, the Virginia General Assembly meets in regular session starting on the second Monday in January, with large numbers of bills introduced and only some ultimately enacted.

This article relies on information from the Virginia State House. Access the original source data here.