(April 15, 2008)--Virginia Senator Jim Webb plans to introduce legislation aimed at easing school officials' concerns over when it is appropriate to disclose student medical records.
The announcement of the proposed legislation comes a year after a disturbed gunman killed 32 students and then himself at Virginia Tech and it addresses one of the key issues raised by a panel formed by Gov. Tim Kaine to investigate the April 16, 2007 shootings.
The measure would add a "safe harbor" provision to a 1974 federal privacy law, which would allow school officials to release information if it's deemed necessary to protect the student or the general public.
It further clarifies that the law doesn't prohibit sharing records with off-campus medical providers who also are providing treatment to a student.
School administrators have said fear of violating federal privacy laws has made it difficult to respond effectively to troubled students like Seung-Hui Cho, the troubled Virginia Tech student who killed 32 people before taking his own life.
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