Virginia
Representation
Timothy Kaine, U.S. Senator (D-VA) | (202) 224-4024
Mark Warner, U.S. Senator (D-VA) | (202) 224-2023
Your U.S. Senators both have long records on health and education issues.
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Driving Laws
The Virginia DMV's Medical Advisory Board policy states that an individual must be seizure-free for at least six months before driving. An individual with a history of seizures must submit a medical report completed by themselves and their physician prior to being issued a license. The information is then reviewed to determine if the individual may be licensed, with or without restrictions.
The DMV may, upon reasonable belief that a person is medically incapable of safely operating a vehicle, require a medical examination. Failure to comply is a ground for suspension or denial. The Medical Advisory Board evaluates medical information submitted to the DMV.
No provision requires physicians to report patients diagnosed with or treated for epilepsy to a central state agency. A physician who provides medical information about a patient does not have statutory immunity from liability for damages arising out of an accident caused by a seizure.
That last point is significant. Virginia is in a structural position similar to Tennessee and Ohio: physicians can report voluntarily but get no legal protection for doing so. That structural gap shapes how conversations between patients and doctors tend to go.
Confirm current requirements with the Virginia DMV and the Epilepsy Foundation's Virginia driving law page.
School Laws
Senate Bill 1322, known as the Jamie and Brie Strong Act, was co-championed by Jamie Van Cleave and Brie (who kept her last name private), with support from Senator Bill DeSteph. The bill passed the Virginia legislature and automatically became law on March 31, 2021. It took effect July 1, 2022.
Under the law, Virginia schools are required to biennially train all school personnel in seizure detection and first aid response; allow Seizure Action Plans to be on file for every student diagnosed with epilepsy or a seizure disorder; make those plans available to all personnel responsible for the student; and ensure that FDA-approved seizure medications prescribed by the student's physician can be administered. The law includes a Good Samaritan clause for personnel acting in good faith.
In 2022, Virginia went further. Virginia requires employers with 25 or more employees to post seizure first aid information in a prominent workplace location, making Virginia also the first state to mandate Seizure Aware Workplaces.
Virginia also recognizes March 26 as Epilepsy Heroes Day - made permanent by a Senate Joint Resolution in 2024.
Virginia families have both a state Seizure Safe Schools law and a federal fallback. If your school isn't complying with the Jamie and Brie Strong Act: put the request in writing, ask which staff completed training and when, and ask to see the Seizure Action Plan on file for your child.
Support
Epilepsy Foundation of Virginia provides statewide coverage with advocacy, support groups, and a booklet of legislative priorities for Virginians with epilepsy, updated July 2025 by Richmond Regional Director Adam Gibson.
The Epilepsy Foundation of Virginia was central to passing the Jamie and Brie Strong Act and continues to monitor its implementation.
Epilepsy Care
If your seizures aren't controlled after 12 months with a general neurologist — or after two medications have failed — national guidelines say you should be at a Level 3 or Level 4 center. Most people who meet that bar were never told it existed.
Check out the NAEC to find a Level 3 or4 Epilepsy Center near you.
Confirmed NAEC Level 4 centers include the University of Virginia Comprehensive Epilepsy Program in Charlottesville—one of the flagship programs in the mid-Atlantic region —which serves as a referral center for patients across Virginia and neighboring states.
Virginia Commonwealth University's program in Richmond also operates at a high level. Verify current NAEC accreditation in the directory.
For Northern Virginia residents: the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Epilepsy Center in Baltimore (Level 4) is a close option. For those near the North Carolina border: Duke and UNC are both Level 4 programs that serve regional referrals.
Use the comments section to add additional resources for Virginia or review the resources listed above.