Baby Food Protection Act; testing and labeling requirements for toxic heavy metals.
Summary
Baby Food Protection Act; testing and labeling requirements for toxic heavy metals. Prohibits a person from selling, distributing, or offering for sale a baby food product that contains certain toxic heavy metals that exceed the limits established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill requires a manufacturer of a baby food product to meet certain testing requirements and include certain information related to toxic heavy metals on the manufacturer's website and on the baby food product. The bill requires a consumer to report a baby food product to the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services if the consumer reasonably believes that the baby food is being sold in the Commonwealth with toxic heavy metals that exceed the limits established by the FDA. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the presence of toxic heavy metals in baby food products and any further action needed to address the issue of toxic heavy metals in baby food products. The bill requires the work group to report on its findings and recommendations by the first day of the 2026 Regular Session.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 6, 2025
Signed May 2, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
Enrolled
→
Chaptered
·
1 edit
MINOR
This bill establishes testing and labeling requirements for baby food products to limit toxic heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. The text changes reflect the transition from an enrolled bill to a chaptered law, with formatting adjustments for official publication rather than substantive policy changes.
TECHNICAL
Formatting changes to convert the bill from enrolled version to chaptered law format, including header updates, spacing adjustments, and line breaks for official publication.
Floor votes · Senate Feb 18, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 4, 2025
How they voted
40–0
Passed
Total votes 40
Feb 18, 2025
D
Democratic21
100% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
43
Key actions
16
Committee
9
Amendments
6
May 2, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 693 (Effective 01/01/26)
executive
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed by for the day (47-Y 46-N)
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Vetoed
Governor's recommendation received by House
executive
Mar 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1844ER)
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate Amendment agreed to by House (96-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with amendment (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Amendment agreed to
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced
Reading of amendment waived
upper
Feb 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Feb 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendment and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 5, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
upper
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House (99-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
Engrossed by House as amended
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Amendment agreed to
lower
Jan 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 29, 2025
Committee
Assigned Approps sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources
lower
Jan 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 24, 2025
Committee
Assigned ACNR sub: Agriculture
lower
Jan 21, 2025
Committee
Referred from General Laws and referred to Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (Voice Vote)
lower
Jan 6, 2025
Introduced
Introduced bill reprinted 25101070D
lower
Jan 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws
lower
1 primary · 41 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Michelle Maldonado
DDemocratic
Co
Adele McClure
DDemocratic
Co
Alex Askew
DDemocratic
Co
Alfonso Lopez
DDemocratic
Co
Amy Laufer
DDemocratic
Co
Atoosa Reaser
DDemocratic
Co
Betsy Carr
DDemocratic
Co
Briana Sewell
DDemocratic
Co
Candi King
DDemocratic
Co
Cia Price
DDemocratic
Co
Cliff Hayes
DDemocratic
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