Senators on Tuesday approved several measures on final passage, including a bill requiring youth violence prevention instruction for secondary students, a change to the process for filling certain elected-office vacancies, an exemption for producers selling feed from their own farms, and a multi-rule package from the Department of Administration.

The most consequential measure for classrooms, the engrossed committee substitute for Senate Bill 548, which the floor identified as the "Safety and Violence Education for Students Act," passed on third reading. The bill requires schools serving grades 6–12 to provide students at least one hour of youth violence prevention training each school year, directs the Department of Education to maintain a public list of approved trainings, and encourages designation of student-led violence-prevention clubs; the requirement is voluntary for public charter and nonpublic schools.

Senator Mason introduced the measure on the floor and urged passage. After a roll call on the question, the clerk announced the tally as 26 yays, 8 nays; later the Senate voted 34–0 to make the bill effective on passage.

Other bills that cleared the Senate on third reading included:

- Engrossed committee substitute for Senate Bill 586, changing requirements for filling vacancies in certain elected federal, state and county offices; the bill passed by recorded vote, 34–0. The measure prohibits appointing a person who has not been a member of the relevant political party for at least one year prior to a vacancy and requires party executive committees to submit lists of eligible nominees for legislative vacancies.

- Committee substitute for Senate Bill 686, which exempts commodities produced entirely on a farm and sold by the producer from being classified as a commercial feed distributor (removing the need for a commercial feed distributor permit); the Senate passed the measure, 34–0.

- Engrossed committee substitute for House Bill 2222, a bundle of roughly 10 rules from agencies in the Department of Administration (identified on the floor as "bundle 2"); the Senate passed the rules bundle, 34–0, and voted 34–0 to make it effective upon passage.

The Senate received but did not finally act on numerous other bills and committee reports; several measures were referred to committee under original double reference for subsequent finance review.

Votes at a glance

- SB 548 (Safety and Violence Education for Students Act): Passed third reading (machine tally on passage question reported as 26–8); Senate later voted 34–0 to make effective from passage. Sponsor on floor: Senator Mason. Outcome: approved; effective on passage.

- SB 586 (vacancy appointments): Passed (34–0). Sponsor on floor: junior senator from the seventh. Outcome: approved.

- SB 686 (commercial feed exemption): Passed (34–0). Sponsor on floor: Senator Flamingo. Outcome: approved.

- HB 2222 (Department of Administration rules bundle, "bundle 2"): Passed (34–0); Senate voted 34–0 to make effective from passage. Outcome: approved; effective on passage.

No formal amendments to final-passage measures were recorded on the floor for these items; motions to make several bills effective from passage were made and carried as noted above. Where floor debate occurred, senators described intent and scope in brief floor remarks before the roll-call or voice votes.

Ending

Clerks will transmit the Senate's actions to the House of Delegates for further processing and, where applicable, the bills will be enrolled and prepared for the governor. Several other bills on the calendar were carried over or referred to committee for additional consideration.