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HB373 • 2026

Restaurants; food allergy awareness notice required.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 35.1-14.01, relating to restaurants; food allergy awareness notice required.

Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Martinez
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance.

Food Allergy Notice for Restaurants

This act requires Virginia restaurants to post notices about food allergies in multiple languages and include specific phrases on menus or signs.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the State Health Commissioner to publish a notice with procedures for dealing with food allergies on the Department of Health's website, available in English and the top six other languages spoken in Virginia according to Census data.
  • Requires restaurants to display this notice in a visible place where all employees can see it.
  • Requires restaurants to include the phrase 'If you have a food allergy, please notify us' and its translation if available on menus or signs.
  • Requires restaurants with online menus to provide a way for customers to indicate any food allergies.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Restaurants in Virginia
  • Customers dining at these restaurants

Terms To Know

cross-contact
The accidental transfer of an allergen from one food to another during preparation or serving.
conspicuous location
A place that is easy for people to see and read, such as near the entrance or on a menu.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if restaurants do not follow these requirements.
  • It's unclear how many languages will be used based on current data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 124 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 124 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0124)

  4. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  5. 2026-03-10 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  6. 2026-02-25 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-02-25 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-02-25 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB373ER)

  10. 2026-02-25 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB373)

  11. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Read third time

  12. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Passed Senate (23-Y 15-N 0-A)

  13. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Rules suspended

  15. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  16. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  17. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  18. 2026-02-19 Education and Health

    Reported from Education and Health (10-Y 5-N)

  19. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  20. 2026-01-29 Education and Health

    Referred to Committee on Education and Health

  21. 2026-01-28 House

    Read third time and passed House (63-Y 30-N 0-A)

  22. 2026-01-27 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  23. 2026-01-26 House

    Read first time

  24. 2026-01-22 Health and Human Services

    Reported from Health and Human Services (19-Y 3-N)

  25. 2026-01-20 Health

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)

  26. 2026-01-16 Health

    Assigned sub: Health

  27. 2026-01-14 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB373)

  28. 2026-01-12 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100398D

  29. 2026-01-12 Health and Human Services

    Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

Official Summary Text

Restaurants; food allergy awareness notice required.
Requires the State Health Commissioner to publish in multiple languages a notice on the Department of Health's website containing procedures for restaurant staff to follow when a customer has a food allergy. The bill requires restaurants to post such notice in a conspicuous location. The bill also requires restaurants to include the phrase, "If you have a food allergy, please notify us," and its translation, if applicable, on their menus or on a sign posted conspicuously in the restaurant. This bill is identical to SB 248.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
35.1-14.01
, relating to restaurants; food allergy awareness notice required.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
35.1-14.01
as follows:
§
35.1-14.01
. Food allergy awareness notice required.
A. The Commissioner shall make available on the Department's website, in English and in the top six languages other than English spoken in the Commonwealth according to the latest available data from the United States Census Bureau, a notice containing information for staff of restaurants regarding food allergies as well as a translation of the following: "If you have a food allergy, please notify us." Such notice shall include:
1. The procedures to be followed if a customer informs the staff of a restaurant that such customer has a food allergy;
2. Any procedures to be followed to prevent cross-contact; and
3. The procedures to be followed if a customer has an allergic reaction, including a recommendation regarding the circumstances in which to call emergency medical services.
B. Every restaurant permitted pursuant to this chapter shall post a copy of the notice prepared pursuant to subsection A in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees involved in the preparation or service of food in at least one of the languages spoken by each employee to the extent such languages are among those in which the Commissioner makes the notice available.
C. Every restaurant permitted pursuant to this chapter operating in the Commonwealth that provides a menu to its customers shall include in a conspicuous manner on each menu or on a sign posted conspicuously in the restaurant the following: "If you have a food allergy, please notify us." If such menu is available in a language other than English for which the Commissioner makes a translation available pursuant to subsection A, such restaurant shall also include such translation in a conspicuous manner. Every restaurant permitted pursuant to this chapter that provides a menu on its website or otherwise provides a menu on the internet shall also include on such menu a food allergy notification to customers and provide a method by which a customer may indicate any food allergy.