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HB629Introduced in the House of Delegates

Sex offenses, certain; sexual extortion, unlawful creation of image of another, penalties.

Passed

Introduced by Katrina Callsen, District 54

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

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.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0539)

April 10, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

3 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

SenateStage: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · March 9, 2026

40

Yes

0

No

0

Absent or Not Voting

40 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker5Yes
Michael Jones77Yes
Timmy French1Yes
Mark Obenshain2Yes
Chris Head3Yes
David Suetterlein4Yes
Travis Hackworth5Yes
Todd Pillion6Yes
William Stanley7Yes
Mark Peake8Yes

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104107D

  2. Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/13/2026 3:26 pm)

  3. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  4. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB629)

  5. Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal

  6. House subcommittee offered

  7. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)

  8. Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (21-Y 0-N)

  9. Committee substitute printed 26105586D-H1

  10. Read first time

  11. Read second time

  12. committee substitute agreed to

  13. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB629)

  14. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  15. Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/17/2026 9:55 am)

  16. Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/17/2026 9:59 am)

  17. Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

  18. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  19. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  20. Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

  21. Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

  22. Rules suspended

  23. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  24. Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  25. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  26. Read third time

  27. Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  28. Enrolled

  29. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB629ER)

  30. Signed by Speaker

  31. Signed by President

  32. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB629)

  33. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026

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

  35. Approved by Governor-Chapter 539 (effective 7/1/2026)

  36. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0539)

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