SB248 • 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: Srinivasan
Last action: 2026-04-06
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact languages used for translations, leaving some uncertainty.

Food Allergy Awareness Notice for Restaurants

This act requires Virginia restaurants to post notices about food allergies in multiple languages on their website and in the restaurant, and include a statement asking customers with allergies to inform staff.

What This Bill Does

Requires the State Health Commissioner to publish a notice containing procedures for restaurant staff to follow when a customer has a food allergy on the Department of Health's website in English and the top six other languages spoken in Virginia according to the latest available data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Requires restaurants to post this notice in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees involved in the preparation or service of food, using at least one language that each employee understands.
Requires restaurants to include 'If you have a food allergy, please notify us' on menus or signs in the restaurant and provide translations if available.
Requires restaurants with online menus to include a food allergy notification and provide a method for customers to indicate any food allergies.

Who It Names or Affects

Restaurants that serve food in Virginia
Customers dining at these restaurants

Terms To Know

cross-contact: When foods come into contact with each other and transfer allergens, even if they are not mixed together.
conspicuous location: A place that is easy to see or notice.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact languages used for translations.
It's unclear how restaurants will be monitored to ensure compliance with these requirements.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SB248AH1

2026-02-19 • Committee

Health and Human Services Amendment

Plain English: The amendment to SB248 removes a comma and changes 'internet' to 'Internet'.

Removes a comma after the word 'food'.
Changes 'internet' to 'Internet' at line 33.

The amendment's text is very technical and does not provide clear information about how these changes affect the bill's content or meaning.

SB248EDOC

2026-02-24 • House

House Amendments

Plain English: The amendment removes a comma and changes 'internet' to 'Internet'.

Removes a comma after the word 'food'
Changes 'internet' to 'Internet'

It is unclear what specific impact these minor textual changes will have on the overall meaning of the bill.

Bill History

2026-04-06 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 125 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-06 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 125 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-06 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0125)
2026-03-10 Senate
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
2026-03-10 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-02 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-02 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-02 Senate
Enrolled
2026-03-02 Senate
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB248ER)
2026-03-02 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB248)
2026-02-26 Senate
House amendments agreed to by Senate (24-Y 16-N 0-A)
2026-02-24 House
Read third time
2026-02-24 House
committee amendments agreed to
2026-02-24 House
Engrossed by House as amended
2026-02-24 House
Passed House with amendments (65-Y 32-N 0-A)
2026-02-23 House
Read second time
2026-02-19 Health and Human Services
Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) (15-Y 6-N)
2026-02-06 House
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-06 Health and Human Services
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
2026-02-06 House
Read first time
2026-02-05 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB248)
2026-02-03 Senate
Read third time and passed Senate (24-Y 15-N 0-A)
2026-02-02 Senate
Read second time
2026-02-02 Senate
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
2026-01-30 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-01-30 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-01-30 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-01-30 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-01-30 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-01-29 Education and Health
Reported from Education and Health (10-Y 5-N)
2026-01-27 Health
Assigned Education sub: Health
2026-01-20 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Rereferred from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources to Education and Health (14-Y 0-N)
2026-01-12 Senate
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100947D
2026-01-12 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

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 HB 373.

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.