VirginiaSex offenses, certain; sexual extortion, unlawful creation of image of another, penalties.
What it does
Certain sex offenses; sexual extortion; unlawful creation of image of another; penalties. Provides that any person who, with the intent to cause the complaining witness to engage in certain sexual acts, maliciously (i) threatens in writing, including electronically, (a) to disseminate, sell, or publish a videographic or still image, created by any means whatsoever, or (b) to not delete, remove, or take back a previously disseminated, sold, or published videographic or still image, created by any means whatsoever, that depicts the complaining witness or such complaining witness's family or household member, as defined in relevant law, as totally nude or in a state of undress so as to expose the genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female breast or (ii) threatens eviction, loss of housing, property damage, or any financial loss, but such complaining witness does not thereby engage in such sexual acts is guilty of attempted sexual extortion and shall be punished as prescribed by relevant law.The bill also adds to the existing offense of unlawfully creating an image of another a prohibition on any person knowingly and intentionally creating any videographic or still image by any means whatsoever of any nonconsenting person if that person is not exposed to show the genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female breast but such videographic or still image is obscene, as defined in relevant law, when such nonconsenting person is in a restroom, dressing room, locker room, hotel room, motel room, tanning bed, tanning booth, bedroom, or other location. A violation of such prohibition is a Class 1 misdemeanor unless such nonconsenting person is younger than the age of 18, in which case it is elevated to a Class 6 felony.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 10Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0539)Latest
- Apr 10Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 539 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Mar 25Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 25Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026Minor
- Mar 18Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB629)
- Mar 14Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 14Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 14Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB629ER)Major
- Mar 14EnrolledMinor
- Mar 9Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 9Read third timeMinor
- Mar 6Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Mar 5Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 5Rules suspended
- Mar 4Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 25Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 18Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Feb 18Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 17Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 17Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/17/2026 9:59 am)
- Feb 17Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/17/2026 9:55 am)
- Feb 16Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 16Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB629)
- Feb 16committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Feb 16Read second timeMinor
- Feb 15Read first timeMinor
- Feb 13Committee substitute printed 26105586D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 13Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (21-Y 0-N)Minor
- Feb 11Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 11House subcommittee offered
- Feb 10Assigned HCJ sub: CriminalMinor
- Jan 17Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB629)
- Jan 13Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Jan 13Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/13/2026 3:26 pm)
- Jan 13Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104107DIntroduced