An Act to amend and reenact § 32.1-23.6 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Health; collection and publication of food insecurity information.
HB674 amends Virginia Code § 32.1-23.6 to require the Department of Health to continue collecting, analyzing, and publicly posting information on social determinants of health, with an added emphasis on food insecurity. The bill defines demographic data and social determinants of health and directs the Department to make related information and analyses available on its website, while expressly prohibiting the release of personal health information or other confidential information.
The measure also requires the Department, through its participation in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, to collect food insecurity data using a validated tool and publish that information publicly online. In practical terms, the bill expands the state’s public health data reporting obligations and formalizes food insecurity as a specific subject of statewide health surveillance and public reporting.
The bill amends § 32.1-23.6 of the Code of Virginia to add a specific statutory requirement for the Department of Health to collect and publish food insecurity information, alongside existing duties related to social determinants of health. It affects the Department’s data collection and reporting practices, public health researchers, policymakers, and members of the public who use state health data, while preserving confidentiality protections for personal health information.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the materials provided. Based on the enacted text, the bill appears to have been treated as a public health data and transparency measure, with a neutral-to-supportive policy posture focused on improving access to information about health risks and food insecurity.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of concern in a bill like this would typically include privacy safeguards, the administrative burden of collecting new data, and how the published information might be used, but the text addresses confidentiality by barring release of personal health information. Because there are no transcripts or votes, it is not possible to attribute any objections or support to particular legislators, agencies, or stakeholder groups.