Delaware legislation · 153rd General Assembly
Delaware HB337: Folic Acid/Add/Corn Masa Flour/Corn Masa
Status: Signed into law, September 30, 2026
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FOLIC ACID FORTIFICATION.
What the bill says
An act to amend title 16 of the delaware code relating to folic acid fortification.
From the introduced text, April 9, 2026:
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FOLIC ACID FORTIFICATION. WHEREAS, the United States Food and Drug Administration mandated folic acid fortification of wheat flour and other grain products in 1996, leading to a significant reduction in rates of neural tube defects nationally; and WHEREAS, minority populations in this state disproportionately consume corn masa, as opposed to wheat products, which is not consistently fortified with folic acid, contributing to higher rates of neural tube defects among these populations; and WHEREAS, in Delaware, spina bifida affects 6.8% of Hispanic, 4.1% of Black, and 1.4% of White infants per 100,000 live births; and WHEREAS, each case of spina bifida carries an estimated lifetime medical and social cost of $800,000 to $1.4 million, much of which is borne by Delaware Medicaid and other public programs; and WHEREAS, fortifying grain products with folic acid is a proven cost-effective preventative measure that can avert cases of neural tube defects, reduce long-term public expenditures related to such defects, and promote health across communities in this state; and WHEREAS, early folic acid intake has been associated with reduced risk for certain neurodevelopmental conditions, adding further potential public health benefits; and WHEREAS, it is the intent of the 153 rd General Assembly to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects and increase vitamin …
Sponsors
- Josue Ortega (D, 3) · primary sponsor
- Marie Pinkney (D, 13)
- Alonna Berry (D, 20)
- Stephanie Bolden (D, 2)
- Frank Burns (D, 21)
- Nnamdi Chukwuocha (D, 1)
- Mara Gorman (D, 23)
- Krista Griffith (D, 12)
- Debra Heffernan (D, 6)
- Kendra Johnson (D, 5)
- Larry Lambert (D, 7)
- Eric Morrison (D, 27)
Latest actions
- : Signed by Governor
- : Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
- : Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 5 On Its Merits
- : Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate
- : Passed By House. Votes: 37 YES 4 ABSENT
- : Amendment HA 1 to HB 337 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
- : Amendment HA 1 to HB 337 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
- : Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 9 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits
- : Introduced and Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House
Votes
- Passed (SM) (June 16, 2026): 21 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Passed (SM) (May 7, 2026): 37 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is HB337?
- HB337 is a bill in the Delaware Legislature (153rd General Assembly): Folic Acid/Add/Corn Masa Flour/Corn Masa.
- What does HB337 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend title 16 of the delaware code relating to folic acid fortification.
- What is the status of HB337?
- Signed into law as of September 30, 2026. Latest action: Signed by Governor (September 30, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB337?
- Josue Ortega (D, 3), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB337?
- On the Delaware Legislature website: https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143037
Source: official Delaware record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.