HB1150 • 2026

Impersonating any local, town, city, or county elected official; penalty.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-174.2, relating to impersonating any local, town, city, or county elected official; penalty.

Children Crime

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Hodges
Last action: 2026-04-08
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Law Against Pretending to Be an Elected Official

This law makes it illegal for someone to pretend they are a local elected official, like a mayor or city council member, with the intent to trick others or get something of value.

What This Bill Does

Makes it against the law to act as if you are an elected official in your town, city, or county when you are not actually one.
Forbids pretending to be a local elected official to trick people or get information, services, or things that have value.
Says anyone who breaks this rule can face punishment for a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Who It Names or Affects

People in towns, cities, and counties where there are local elected officials.
Anyone who might pretend to be an elected official with the intent to trick others or get something of value.

Terms To Know

Class 3 misdemeanor: A type of punishment for breaking a minor law, which is less serious than other types of crimes like felonies or misdemeanors.

Limits and Unknowns

The exact punishments and fines are not detailed in the summary.
Does not cover impersonating federal officials, only local ones.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB1150AS1

2026-03-03 • Committee

Courts of Justice Amendment

Plain English: The amendment adds language requiring that a person must intend to defraud or obtain something valuable when impersonating an elected official to be charged under this law.

Adds the requirement of intent to defraud or obtain access, information, service, or thing of value after mentioning being any such elected official.
Increases the class of the offense from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 3 felony.

HB1150EDOC

2026-03-04 • Senate

Senate Amendments

Plain English: The amendment adds language requiring that a person must intend to defraud or obtain something valuable when impersonating an elected official, and it increases the penalty for such actions.

Adds 'with intent to defraud or obtain access, information, service, or thing of value' after references to being any local elected official.
Changes the class of the offense from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 3 felony.

Bill History

2026-04-08 Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 452 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-08 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0452)
2026-03-14 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
2026-03-14 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-13 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-13 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-13 House
Enrolled
2026-03-13 House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1150ER)
2026-03-13 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1150)
2026-03-06 House
Senate amendments agreed to by House (95-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-04 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-04 Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended
2026-03-04 Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended
2026-03-04 Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended
2026-03-04 Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended
2026-03-04 Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended
2026-03-04 Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended
2026-03-04 Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended
2026-03-04 Senate
Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-04 Senate
Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-04 Senate
Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-04 Courts of Justice
Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to
2026-03-04 Senate
Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-03 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-03-03 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-03-03 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-03 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-02 Courts of Justice
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (15-Y 0-N)
2026-02-24 Privileges and Elections
Rereferred from Privileges and Elections to Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N)
2026-02-18 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-18 Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
2026-02-17 House
Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 House
Read second time
2026-02-16 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-02-16 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-02-15 House
Read first time
2026-02-13 Privileges and Elections
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (21-Y 0-N)
2026-02-13 Privileges and Elections
Committee substitute printed 26107151D-H1
2026-02-13 Privileges and Elections
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1150)
2026-02-06 House
House committee offered
2026-02-03 Campaigns and Candidates
House subcommittee offered
2026-02-03 Campaigns and Candidates
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N)
2026-01-25 Campaigns and Candidates
Assigned HPE sub: Campaigns and Candidates
2026-01-17 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1150)
2026-01-14 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105074D
2026-01-14 Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Official Summary Text

Impersonating any local, town, city, or county elected official; penalty.
Prohibits any person from willfully and intentionally (i) falsely assuming or exercising the functions, powers, duties, and privileges incident to the office of any local, town, city, or county elected official; (ii) falsely assuming or pretending to be any such elected official with intent to defraud or obtain access, information, service, or thing of value; or (iii) impersonating any such elected official with the intent to make another believe he is such elected official with intent to defraud or obtain access, information, service, or thing of value. A violation of such prohibition is a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
18.2-174.2
, relating to impersonating any local, town, city, or county elected official; penalty.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
18.2-174.2
as follows:
§
18.2-174.2
. Impersonating any local, town, city, or county elected official; penalty.
A. For the purposes of this section, "any local, town, city, or county elected official" includes constitutional officers.
B. No person shall willfully and intentionally (i) falsely assume or exercise the functions, powers, duties, and privileges incident to the office of any local, town, city, or county elected official; (ii) falsely assume or pretend to be any such elected official
with intent to defraud or obtain access, information, service, or thing of value
; or (iii) impersonate any such elected official with the intent to make another believe he is such elected official
with intent to defraud or obtain access, information, service, or thing of value
.
C. A violation of this section is a Class 3 misdemeanor.