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Bill

SB 177

Va. Consumer Protection Act prohibited practices, consumer reproductive/sexual health information.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Barbara Favola

SB 177 prohibits Virginia businesses from selling or sharing reproductive and sexual health information without explicit consumer consent, strengthening privacy protections.

Referred to Committee on General Laws
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 177

Legislative bill overview

SB 177 amends Virginia's Consumer Protection Act to prohibit businesses from selling, sharing, or using consumers' reproductive and sexual health information without explicit consent. The bill establishes new data privacy protections specifically for sensitive health information related to reproductive autonomy and sexual orientation/gender identity.

Why is this important

This addresses growing concerns about health data privacy in an era where digital tracking of reproductive health choices could have legal consequences in states with abortion restrictions. Companies collecting location data, search histories, and purchase records can infer sensitive health information; this bill restricts that commercial exploitation.

Potential points of contention

  • Business compliance costs: Retailers, apps, and data brokers must implement new systems to identify, segment, and protect reproductive/sexual health data, raising operational expenses
  • Definition specificity: The bill's scope of what constitutes "reproductive/sexual health information" may be ambiguous, creating compliance uncertainty for businesses and enforcement challenges
  • Extraterritorial application: Virginia cannot fully control how out-of-state companies handle data, potentially limiting the practical effectiveness of these protections
  • Free speech concerns: Some argue restrictions on data use conflict with First Amendment commercial speech protections, though consumer privacy typically prevails legally

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

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