# Virginia HB1492: Impersonating a law-enforcement officer; clarifies definition of "facial covering," penalties. Virginia HB1492, Impersonating a law-enforcement officer; clarifies definition of "facial covering," penalties., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Irene Shin (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0867)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1492-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB1492 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Impersonating a law-enforcement officer; clarifies definition of "facial covering," penalties. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-23 - Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0867) - Sponsor: Irene Shin (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 15 (298 yes, 208 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary Impersonating law-enforcement officer; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for impersonating a law-enforcement officer while wearing a facial covering, as that term is defined in the bill, and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Higher penalties for Virginia police impersonators: cost, low. Virginia treats falsely claiming to be, or acting as, a law-enforcement officer as a Class 1 misdemeanor. A second or later offense is a Class 6 felony. Impersonating an officer while wearing a facial covering is a Class 5 felony. A second or later offense under the facial-covering rule is a Class… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Irene Shin (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-14 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 63 | 32 | | | 2026-03-14 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 22 | 17 | | | 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 rejected | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 27 | 13 | | | 2026-03-06 | 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 | | | 2026-03-05 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-04 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute | pass | 15 | 0 | | | 2026-02-25 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 5 | | | 2026-02-12 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 62 | 35 | | | 2026-02-06 | House | Reported from Public Safety with substitute | pass | 16 | 6 | | | 2026-02-06 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 4 | 1 | | ## Actions (58) - 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0867) (Governor) - 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 867 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-04-01: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492) (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 (HB1492ER) (House) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by House (63-Y 32-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-14: Conference Report released - 2026-03-14: House Conferees: Shin, Lopez, Wilt (House) - 2026-03-14: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-03-12: House Conferees: Shin, Clark, 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: Perry, Srinivasan, Stuart (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 (27-Y 13-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Courts of Justice Substitute rejected (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: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492) (House) - 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: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/5/2026 8:58 am) (House) - 2026-03-05: Committee substitute printed 26109161D-S2 (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492) (House) - 2026-02-27: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/27/2026 3:44 pm) (House) - 2026-02-27: Committee substitute printed 26108679D-S1 (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-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 (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-11: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2026-02-11: committee substitute agreed to (House) - 2026-02-11: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-10: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492) (House) - 2026-02-06: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/6/2026 11:11 am) (House) - 2026-02-06: Committee substitute printed 26107156D-H1 (House) - 2026-02-06: Reported from Public Safety with substitute (16-Y 6-N) (House) - 2026-02-06: House subcommittee offered (House) - 2026-02-06: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (4-Y 1-N) (House) - 2026-01-28: Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #3 (House) - 2026-01-26: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492) (House) - 2026-01-23: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/23/2026 3:11 pm) (House) - 2026-01-23: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House) - 2026-01-23: Presented and ordered printed 26105681D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223244.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223243.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214526.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214525.PDF) - Conference Report, 2026-03-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211750.HTML) - Substitute, 2026-03-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195949.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195948.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186620.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186619.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132046.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132609.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1131983.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132045.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132608.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1131982.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095541.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095540.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/1223244.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223243.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214526.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214525.PDF) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211750.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195949.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195948.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186620.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186619.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132046.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132609.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1131983.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132045.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132608.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1131982.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095541.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095540.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-HB1492-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).