# Virginia HB581: Unauthorized use of voice or likeness; punitive damages, statute of limitations.

Virginia HB581, Unauthorized use of voice or likeness; punitive damages, statute of limitations., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jackie H. Glass (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0629)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB581-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB581
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Unauthorized use of voice or likeness; punitive damages, statute of limitations.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0629)
- Sponsor: Jackie H. Glass (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 10 (332 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Unauthorized use of voice or likeness; punitive damages; statute of limitations. Expands the existing ability for any person to maintain a suit in equity, including the accompanying remedies available and statute of limitations, for the unauthorized use of his name, portrait, or picture for advertising purposes or for the purposes of trade to include the unauthorized use of his voice or likeness. This bill is identical to SB 753.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Court protection against unauthorized identity use: benefit, medium. In Virginia, you can sue over use of your name, portrait, picture, voice, or likeness without required written consent. This protection covers use in advertising or trade. You can ask a court to stop the use and award damages for resulting injuries. For a deceased person, written consent must come…
- 20-year filing limit after a person's death: cost, low. In Virginia, an unauthorized identity-use lawsuit cannot be started more than 20 years after the person's death. This cutoff applies to claims under the law's name, voice, and likeness protections.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jackie H. Glass (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 96 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote | pass | 40 | 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 | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (36)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0629) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 629 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB581) (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 (HB581ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Senate substitute agreed to by House (96-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-09: Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Read third time (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 (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB581) (House)
- 2026-02-19: Committee substitute printed 26108207D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB581) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-09: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-09: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-04: Committee substitute printed 26106977D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-04: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-02: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-29: Assigned HCJ sub: Civil (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103196D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221594.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221593.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212402.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212401.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171127.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171126.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127306.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127305.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108346.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108345.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085056.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085055.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/1221594.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221593.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212402.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212401.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171127.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171126.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127306.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127305.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108346.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108345.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085056.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085055.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB581-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).