Food packaging, certain; uniform labeling requirements.
Summary
Uniform labeling requirements for certain food packaging. Prohibits the use of a sell-by date on a label affixed to a food product that is manufactured on or after July 1, 2026. The bill instead requires a person selling or offering for sale such food product to use on the outside packaging or container of such food product the phrase "Best if Used by," "Best if Used or Frozen by," "Use by," or "Use by or Freeze by" or its associated abbreviations, as provided in the bill. The bill exempts from its provisions infant formula, eggs, including pasteurized in-shell eggs, beer or other malt beverages, certain shellfish, and any food that is required by law or regulation to bear a label indicating a date or time such food must be consumed, sold, or discarded. The bill maintains a person's discretion to use a quality date or safety date that is not otherwise required by law; however, the bill requires use of the specified label if a person chooses to include such a label on the food product. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.
Bill status
in committee
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Jan 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Jan 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 16, 2025
Last action Jan 29, 2025
Floor votes · House of Delegates Jan 29, 2025
How they voted
22–0
Passed
Total votes 22
Jan 29, 2025
D
Democratic12
100% Yea
R
Republican10
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
6
Key actions
1
Committee
2
Jan 29, 2025
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (22-0)
house of delegates
Jan 21, 2025
Committee
Assigned ACNR sub: Agriculture
lower
Jan 16, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
lower
Jan 16, 2025
Introduced
Presented and ordered printed 25102672D
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Alfonso Lopez
DDemocratic
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