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Bill

HB 674

Department of Health; collection and annual publication of food insecurity information.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Michelle Maldonado

Virginia HB 674 mandates the Department of Health collect and annually publish statewide food insecurity data to inform public health policy and resource allocation decisions.

Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB674)
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Bill Summary · HB 674

Legislative bill overview

HB 674 requires Virginia's Department of Health to systematically collect data on food insecurity across the state and publish annual reports on their findings. The bill establishes a formal mechanism for tracking and publicly reporting information about food insecurity—a measure of whether households have reliable access to adequate food.

Why is this important

Food insecurity affects millions of Americans and correlates with serious health outcomes, educational performance, and economic stability. By mandating data collection and public reporting, Virginia would create transparency around the scope of the problem, enabling policymakers, nonprofits, and community organizations to make evidence-based decisions about resource allocation and intervention strategies.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs and burden: The fiscal impact statement suggests concerns about departmental resources; establishing new data collection infrastructure requires staff, systems, and ongoing funding
  • Data standardization and methodology: Questions may arise about how "food insecurity" is defined, measured, and compared across different regions and demographics—inconsistent metrics could limit usefulness
  • Privacy and data protection: Collecting sensitive information about household food access raises questions about how personal data will be secured, anonymized, and protected from misuse

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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