# Virginia HB1482: Law-enforcement officers; restrictions on wearing of facial coverings, exceptions, penalty. Virginia HB1482, Law-enforcement officers; restrictions on wearing of facial coverings, exceptions, penalty., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Charlie Schmidt (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-20 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1131)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1482-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB1482 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Law-enforcement officers; restrictions on wearing of facial coverings, exceptions, penalty. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-23 - Last action: 2026-05-20, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1131) - Sponsor: Charlie Schmidt (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 14 (284 yes, 225 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary Law-enforcement officers; restrictions on wearing of facial coverings; exceptions; penalty. Prohibits any law-enforcement officer, defined in the bill, from wearing a facial covering, defined in the bill, while engaged in the performance of his official duties. The bill sets out several exceptions to such prohibition, including protective facial coverings to protect against disease, infection, and exposure to toxic substances and facial coverings worn by any law-enforcement officer assigned to a special weapons and tactics team while engaged in the performance of his official duties with such team. The bill subjects the law-enforcement officer to disciplinary action, including dismissal, demotion, suspension, transfer, or decertification, and creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any law-enforcement officer who wears a facial covering in violation of the provisions of the bill unless the law-enforcement agency that employs such law-enforcement officer has adopted and established a written policy for and restrictions on the use of facial coverings. The bill also directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to develop a model policy for and restrictions on the use of facial coverings by law-enforcement officers. This bill is identical to SB 352. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Police face-covering limits and visible identification: mixed, low. Covered Virginia law-enforcement officers generally cannot hide their faces while on duty. They must visibly display their name or unique ID and their agency’s name, unless a listed exception applies. Allowed coverings include clear masks or shields, N95 or surgical masks, and gear for hazardous co… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Charlie Schmidt (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-14 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 62 | 35 | | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-03-12 | Senate | Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-11 | House | Senate substitute rejected by House | fail | 0 | 99 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 21 | 19 | | | 2026-03-06 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-05 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-05 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-03-04 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 5 | | | 2026-02-25 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 6 | | | 2026-02-12 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 63 | 35 | | | 2026-02-06 | House | Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s) | pass | 15 | 7 | | | 2026-02-06 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 4 | 1 | | ## Actions (55) - 2026-05-20: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1131) (Governor) - 2026-05-20: Approved by Governor-Chapter 1131 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-04-23: Passed by for the day (House) - 2026-04-23: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-04-23: Communicated to Governor (House) - 2026-04-22: Passed by for the day (House) - 2026-04-12: Governor's recommendation received by House (Governor) - 2026-04-01: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482) (House) - 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1482ER) (House) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482) (House) - 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Conference Report released - 2026-03-12: House Conferees: Schmidt, Simon, Wilt (House) - 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-03-12: House acceded to request (House) - 2026-03-12: Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Senate Conferees: Salim, Carroll Foy, Peake (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Senate requested conference committee (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 99-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-10: Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482) (House) - 2026-02-27: Committee substitute printed 26108630D-S1 (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482) (House) - 2026-02-11: Engrossed by House as amended (House) - 2026-02-11: committee amendments agreed to (House) - 2026-02-11: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-10: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-06: Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s) (15-Y 7-N) (House) - 2026-02-06: House subcommittee offered (House) - 2026-02-06: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (4-Y 1-N) (House) - 2026-01-29: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482) (House) - 2026-01-28: Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #3 (House) - 2026-01-23: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House) - 2026-01-23: Presented and ordered printed 26105678D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-05-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225772.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225771.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-04-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219777.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219776.PDF) - Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219316.HTML) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214514.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214513.PDF) - Conference Report, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210702.HTML) - Substitute, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210698.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210697.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186509.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186508.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1181802.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1181801.PDF) - Engrossed, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133529.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133528.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1131949.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132050.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132557.HTML) - Introduced, 2026-01-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095456.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095455.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225772.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225771.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219777.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219776.PDF) - [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219316.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214514.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214513.PDF) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210702.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210698.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210697.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186509.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186508.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1181802.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1181801.PDF) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133529.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133528.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1131949.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132050.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132557.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095456.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095455.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1482-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).