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Bill would require notices when agencies receive requests for public-assistance applicants’ personal data
Summary
HB 879 would require state agencies (starting with DSS) to post notice when they receive requests for personally identifiable information of 25 or more public-assistance applicants or recipients for purposes unrelated to administering the program; supporters called it a transparency measure after the state complied with an earlier USDA request without public notice.
House Bill 879, as presented to the Senate subcommittee, would require the Department of Social Services to notify the public when it receives requests for personally identifiable information for 25 or more SNAP, Medicaid or TANF applicants or recipients if the request is not directly connected to administering those programs. The notification must be posted on the agency website within 10 days and include the requester, the requested data elements, the stated purpose, whether the agency intends to comply and contact information for a representative.
Sponsor testimony cited a recent instance in which the U.S. Department of Agriculture requested PII for SNAP applicants and recipients going back to 2020; the Commonwealth complied without a public announcement, the sponsor said. Supporters (Legal Aid Justice Center, Virginia Poverty Law Center) argued the bill would build public trust and fill a gap in current law. Megan Rhine of the Coalition for Open Government urged clarifying language to avoid inadvertently triggering notice for routine FOIA requests; state witnesses said the bill incorporates language to require an agency determination that sharing is legally required before the notification duty triggers.
The committee moved to report the bill; the roll was recorded as 9 yes, 3 no, 3 abstentions.
