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Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session

Virginia HB 1482

Law-enforcement officers; restrictions on wearing of facial coverings, exceptions, penalty.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (25)

Summary

Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED

Law-enforcement officers; restrictions on wearing of facial coverings; exceptions; penalty. Prohibits any law-enforcement officer, defined in the bill, from wearing a facial covering, defined in the bill, while engaged in the performance of his official duties. The bill sets out several exceptions to such prohibition, including protective facial coverings to protect against disease, infection, and exposure to toxic substances and facial coverings worn by any law-enforcement officer assigned to a special weapons and tactics team while engaged in the performance of his official duties with such team. The bill subjects the law-enforcement officer to disciplinary action, including dismissal, demotion, suspension, transfer, or decertification, and creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any law-enforcement officer who wears a facial covering in violation of the provisions of the bill unless the law-enforcement agency that employs such law-enforcement officer has adopted and established a written policy for and restrictions on the use of facial coverings. The bill also directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to develop a model policy for and restrictions on the use of facial coverings by law-enforcement officers. This bill is identical to SB 352.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:06 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Mar 14, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 13, 2026
Senate		Adopt Conference Committee Report RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 12, 2026
Senate		Insist & Request RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 11, 2026
House		H VOTE:failSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 10, 2026
Senate		Passage RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 5, 2026
Senate		Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 4, 2026
Senate		Reported from Finance and AppropriationspassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 25, 2026
Senate		Reported from Courts of Justice with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 12, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 6, 2026
House		Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 6, 2026
House		Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)passSet your home in Virginia to see

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