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HB 346

Va. Freedom of Information Act; exclusion to application of chapter, public utility account numbers.

2026 Regular Session

Virginia HB 346 exempts public utility account numbers from Freedom of Information Act disclosure to protect customer privacy and prevent identity theft.

Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
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Bill Summary · HB 346

Legislative bill overview

HB 346 amends Virginia's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to create a specific exemption preventing public disclosure of utility account numbers for public utility customers. The bill carves out an exception to the general principle of government transparency by allowing public utility companies to withhold this identifying information from FOIA requests.

Why is this important

Utility account numbers can be exploited for identity theft, fraudulent account access, or unauthorized service changes if publicly disclosed. This bill balances transparency requirements with practical security concerns by protecting personal identifying information while still allowing access to other utility-related records like billing practices, service complaints, or rate structures.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope of "public utility": The bill's effectiveness depends on how broadly or narrowly "public utility" is defined—does it include water, electric, gas, telecommunications, or other services?
  • Disclosure of aggregate data: Some argue exempting account numbers might unnecessarily prevent disclosure of anonymized or aggregated utility usage patterns that could inform public policy discussions.
  • Consistency with other exemptions: Questions about whether this creates a precedent for exempting other seemingly sensitive identifiers (driver's license numbers, social security numbers) that FOIA already restricts differently.

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

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