Gov. Tim Kaine signed 26 General Assembly bills written in response to last year’s shootings at Virginia Tech. The bills mainly focus on campus safety and treatment of people with mental illnesses.
“The Virginia Tech tragedy reminded us that we must address the mental health needs of those in our family, among our friends and in our community,” Kaine said in a press release. “Working with members of the General Assembly, we will make significant investments in our mental health system and the bills before me today will establish standards for the system and increase accountability.”
The Omnibus Mental Health bills address commitment criteria for mental patients, the issuance of emergency custody and commitment orders, and disclosure of health information.