Suicide Prevention Among Bills Approved By House Committee On Education

Students in crisis may not need to look any further than their student IDs for help if a bill passes the West Virginia Legislature. 

House Bill 3218 contains a requirement to print suicide prevention resources on both sides of student identification cards. 

That would include numbers for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Text Line. 

The Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by dialing 9-8-8. 

Students can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting H-O-M-E to 741-741. 

The ID cards would be made available at any school that issues ID cards for students in grades 6-12. It would also apply to any public or private institutions of higher education.

The bill was sent to the House floor with full recommendation that it pass.

The committee also visited other bills including House Bill 3271 that would expand current law to require an audio recording device be present in the restroom of every Special Education self-contained classroom by Aug 1.

The committee voted to pass the bill as amended to the floor with recognition that it first be referred to the Committee on Judiciary. 

Senate Bill 275 adds State Fire Marshals to the statute to be included with law enforcement and first responders that receive information on school safety requirements. The bill was also sent to the full House with the recommendation that it pass. House Bill 3259 would exempt county school buses from paying a toll at turnpikes. The committee motioned to postpone consideration of the bill over concerns regarding its constitutionality.