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'Seizure Safe Schools' bill introduced by local teens passes House, heads to Gov. Northam's desk

Photos: Local teens charting Virginia’s future with ‘seizure safe’ schools bill
Posted at 9:15 PM, Feb 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-18 21:15:21-05

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Schools across Virginia will now become "seizure safe," and it's all thanks to two local teens who took action to make it happen.

State Sen. Bill DeSteph announced Thursday that the Jamie and Brie Strong Act passed the House of Delegates and is now on its way to Gov. Ralph Northam's desk for the governor's signature.

The bill will require all school personnel to get seizure first aid training so they know what to do in case of an emergency if a child has a seizure at school.

It was introduced by Jamie Van Cleave and Brie Gesick, now 17 and 13, in 2020. While it was originally championed by Republican DeSteph, it has grown support within both parties.

Now that it has passed, the training for school staff in Virginia would all be done virtually.

When News 3 reporter Erin Millerlast spoke to the girls in January after the bill advanced in the General Assembly, they said that just knowing that someone could step in to help would make all the difference.