VA HB697 | 2025 | Regular Session
Note: Carry Over of previous HB697
Status
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: Engrossed on February 7 2024 - 50% progression
Action: 2024-02-19 - Continued to 2025 in Courts of Justice (11-Y 2-N)
Pending: Senate Courts of Justice Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Comm Sub) [HTML]
Status: Engrossed on February 7 2024 - 50% progression
Action: 2024-02-19 - Continued to 2025 in Courts of Justice (11-Y 2-N)
Pending: Senate Courts of Justice Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Comm Sub) [HTML]
Summary
Synthetic media; penalty. Expands the applicability of provisions related to defamation, slander, and libel to include synthetic media, defined in the bill. The bill makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to use any synthetic media for the purpose of committing any criminal offense involving fraud, constituting a separate and distinct offense with punishment separate and apart from any punishment received for the commission of the primary criminal offense. The bill also authorizes the individual depicted in the synthetic media to bring a civil action against the person who violates such prohibition to recover actual damages, reasonable attorney fees, and such other relief as the court determines to be appropriate. The bill directs the Attorney General to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the use of synthetic media, including deepfakes, and any further action needed to address the issue of such use in fraudulent acts. Synthetic media; penalty. Expands the applicability of provisions related to defamation, slander, and libel to include synthetic media, defined in the bill. The bill makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to use any synthetic media for the purpose of committing any criminal offense involving fraud, constituting a separate and distinct offense with punishment separate and apart from any punishment received for the commission of the primary criminal offense. The bill also authorizes the individual depicted in the synthetic media to bring a civil action against the person who violates such prohibition to recover actual damages, reasonable attorney fees, and such other relief as the court determines to be appropriate. The bill directs the Attorney General to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the use of synthetic media, including deepfakes, and any further action needed to address the issue of such use in fraudulent acts.
Title
Synthetic media; use in furtherance of crimes involving fraud, etc., report.
Sponsors
| Del. Michelle Maldonado [D] | Del. Irene Shin [D] | Del. Bonita Anthony [D] | Del. Nadarius Clark [D] |
| Del. Rozia Henson [D] |
Roll Calls
2024-02-19 - Senate - Senate: Continued to 2025 in Courts of Justice (11-Y 2-N) (Y: 11 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2024-02-08 - House - House: VOTE: Block Vote Passage (98-Y 0-N) (Y: 98 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]
2024-02-02 - House - House: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (21-Y 0-N) (Y: 21 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2024-01-31 - House - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N) (Y: 8 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2024-02-08 - House - House: VOTE: Block Vote Passage (98-Y 0-N) (Y: 98 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]
2024-02-02 - House - House: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (21-Y 0-N) (Y: 21 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2024-01-31 - House - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N) (Y: 8 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
History
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-19 | Senate | Continued to 2025 in Courts of Justice (11-Y 2-N) |
| 2024-02-09 | Senate | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| 2024-02-09 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed |
| 2024-02-08 | House | VOTE: Block Vote Passage (98-Y 0-N) |
| 2024-02-08 | House | Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N) |
| 2024-02-07 | House | Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB697H1 |
| 2024-02-07 | House | Committee substitute agreed to 24106145D-H1 |
| 2024-02-07 | House | Read second time |
| 2024-02-06 | House | Read first time |
| 2024-02-02 | House | Committee substitute printed 24106145D-H1 |
| 2024-02-02 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (21-Y 0-N) |
| 2024-01-31 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N) |
| 2024-01-30 | House | Assigned Courts sub: Criminal |
| 2024-01-09 | House | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| 2024-01-09 | House | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24105106D |
Same As/Similar To
HB697 (Carry Over) 2024-02-19 - Continued to 2025 in Courts of Justice (11-Y 2-N)
Subjects
Code Citations
| Chapter | Article | Section | Citation Type | Statute Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 2 | 213.3 | (n/a) | See Bill Text |
| 18 | 2 | 417 | (n/a) | See Bill Text |
| 8 | 01 | 45 | (n/a) | See Bill Text |
| 8 | 01 | 46 | (n/a) | See Bill Text |
