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HB1492 • 2026

Impersonating a law-enforcement officer; clarifies definition of "facial covering," penalties.

An Act to amend and reenact § 18.2-174 of the Code of Virginia, relating to impersonating law-enforcement officer; penalties.

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Shin
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Impersonating a law-enforcement officer; clarifies definition of "facial covering," penalties.

Impersonating law-enforcement officer; penalties.

What This Bill Does

  • 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.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

HB1492AC

2026-03-14 • Conference

Conference Report

Plain English: JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT We, the conferees, appointed by the respective bodies to consider and report upon the disagreeing vote on House Bill No.

  • JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT We, the conferees, appointed by the respective bodies to consider and report upon the disagreeing vote on House Bill No.
  • 1492 , report as follows: We recommend that the Senate Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26109161D) be accepted to resolve the matters under disagreement.
  • Respectfully submitted, Delegate Irene Shin (signed) Delegate Alfonso H.
  • Lopez (signed) Delegate Tony O.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 867 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0867)

  3. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0867)

  4. 2026-04-01 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492)

  5. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  6. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  7. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  8. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  9. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  10. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  11. 2026-03-30 House

    Enrolled

  12. 2026-03-30 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1492ER)

  13. 2026-03-14 House

    Conferees appointed by House

  14. 2026-03-14 House

    House Conferees: Shin, Lopez, Wilt

  15. 2026-03-14 Conference

    Conference Report released

  16. 2026-03-14 House

    Conference report agreed to by House (63-Y 32-N 0-A)

  17. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A)

  18. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate requested conference committee

  19. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate Conferees: Perry, Srinivasan, Stuart

  20. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Conferees appointed by Senate

  21. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate insisted on substitute

  22. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  23. 2026-03-12 House

    House acceded to request

  24. 2026-03-12 House

    Conferees appointed by House

  25. 2026-03-12 House

    House Conferees: Shin, Clark, Wilt

  26. 2026-03-11 House

    Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 99-N 0-A)

  27. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  28. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  29. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  30. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  31. 2026-03-10 Courts of Justice

    Courts of Justice Substitute rejected

  32. 2026-03-10 Finance and Appropriations

    Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

  33. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute (27-Y 13-N 0-A)

  34. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Read third time

  35. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  36. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  37. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  38. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  39. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  40. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  41. 2026-03-05 Finance and Appropriations

    Committee substitute printed 26109161D-S2

  42. 2026-03-05 Finance and Appropriations

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/5/2026 8:58 am)

  43. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  44. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  45. 2026-03-05 Finance and Appropriations

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492)

  46. 2026-03-04 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N)

  47. 2026-02-27 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26108679D-S1

  48. 2026-02-27 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/27/2026 3:44 pm)

  49. 2026-02-27 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492)

  50. 2026-02-25 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)

  51. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  52. 2026-02-13 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  53. 2026-02-12 House

    Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)

  54. 2026-02-11 House

    Read second time

  55. 2026-02-11 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  56. 2026-02-11 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  57. 2026-02-10 House

    Read first time

  58. 2026-02-06 Subcommittee #3

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (4-Y 1-N)

  59. 2026-02-06 Subcommittee #3

    House subcommittee offered

  60. 2026-02-06 Public Safety

    Reported from Public Safety with substitute (16-Y 6-N)

  61. 2026-02-06 Public Safety

    Committee substitute printed 26107156D-H1

  62. 2026-02-06 Public Safety

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/6/2026 11:11 am)

  63. 2026-02-06 Public Safety

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492)

  64. 2026-01-28 Subcommittee #3

    Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #3

  65. 2026-01-26 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1492)

  66. 2026-01-23 House

    Presented and ordered printed 26105681D

  67. 2026-01-23 Public Safety

    Referred to Committee on Public Safety

  68. 2026-01-23 House

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/23/2026 3:11 pm)

Official Summary Text

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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
18.2-174
of the Code of Virginia, relating to impersonating law-enforcement officer; penalties.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
18.2-174
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
18.2-174
. Impersonating law-enforcement officer; penalties.
A.
Any person who falsely assumes or exercises the functions, powers, duties, and privileges incident to the office of sheriff, police officer, marshal, or other peace officer, or any local, city, county, state, or federal law-enforcement officer, or who
, for the purpose of deceiving another,
falsely assumes or pretends to be any such officer
,
is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A second or subsequent offense
of this subsection
is punishable as a Class 6 felony.
B. Any person who commits a violation of subsection A while such person is wearing a facial covering is guilty of a Class 5 felony. A second or subsequent offense of this subsection is punishable as a Class 4 felony.
For the purposes of this subsection, "facial covering" means any opaque mask, garment, headgear, or other item or device whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered to conceal the identity of the wearer, including a balaclava, tactical mask, gator, ski mask, or other similar face-shielding item or device.
2. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to §
30-19.1:4
of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities; therefore, Chapter 725 of the Acts of Assembly of 2025 requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to assign a minimum fiscal impact of $50,000. Pursuant to §
30-19.1:4
of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.