Virginia · 2026 Regular Session

HB1482 Law-enforcement officers; restrictions on wearing of facial coverings, exceptions, penalty.

Direction

Firearms otherAI label

Restricts gun access model confidence 70%

Requires law-enforcement officers to visibly display a badge or name insignia while on duty, including when carrying firearms, and restricts facial coverings that could conceal identity during official duties (with limited exceptions for tactical/SWAT or undercover units).

Except as otherwise provided by this section, a law-enforcement officer, while engaged in the performance of his official duties, shall visibly display (i) a badge or insignia bearing such law-enforcement officer's name or other individual identifier unique to that particular law-enforcement officer and (ii) the name of the law-enforcement agency that employs such law-enforcement officer.

✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text

Filed (completed)
Committee (completed)
Passed one chamber (completed)
Passed both (completed)
Governor (completed)
Law

Stage: Law · step 6 of 6

Last action: 2026-05-20: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1131)
Filed: 2026-01-23
Sponsor: Charlie Schmidt D + 25 cosponsors (25 D)

Read official text (Chaptered)Legislature page LegiScan

Why the model tagged it this way: The bill primarily regulates law-enforcement officers' use of facial coverings and requires visible identification, which intersects with firearms only indirectly through officer conduct during duties that may involve carrying or using firearms. It restricts general ability to conceal identity (potentially limiting anonymity in firearm-related policing) but expands allowances for tactical units like SWAT. No direct changes to civilian firearm access, purchase, carry, or other core firearms topics.

Related bills

HB240 Admission to bail; fixing terms of bail, mental health considerations.Restricts gun access Committee
HB623 Forfeiture of certain weapons; petition for return by Commonwealth.Expands gun access Committee
HB778 Pop-up events; local enhanced enforcement actions.Restricts gun access Committee
HB919 Retail Sales and Use Tax; impose firearm and ammunition tax.Restricts gun access Restricts gun access Committee

Hearings and calendar

2026-02-06 07:00 · Hearing · House Public Safety: Subcommittee #3 Hearing TBD
2026-02-06 08:00 · Hearing · House Public Safety Hearing House Committee Room A - 008
2026-02-25 19:00 · Hearing · Senate Courts of Justice Hearing Senate Room A, Room 305, General Assembly Building
2026-03-04 09:30 · Hearing · Senate Finance and Appropriations Hearing Senate Room A, Room 305, General Assembly Building

Votes

Date	Chamber	Motion	Yea-Nay
2026-02-06	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (4-Y 1-N)	4-1	Passed
2026-02-06	H	Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s) (15-Y 7-N)	15-7	Passed
2026-02-12	H	Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)	63-35	Passed
2026-02-25	S	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)	9-6	Passed
2026-03-04	S	Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)	10-5	Passed
2026-03-05	S	Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)	39-0	Passed
2026-03-10	S	Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)	21-19	Passed
2026-03-11	H	Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 99-N 0-A)	0-99	Failed
2026-03-12	S	Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)	40-0	Passed
2026-03-13	S	Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)	21-18	Passed
2026-03-14	H	Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)	62-35	Passed

Text versions

Introduced 2026-01-23
Engrossed 2026-02-11
Comm Sub 2026-02-25
Comm Sub 2026-02-27
Comm Sub 2026-03-13
Enrolled 2026-03-30
Comm Sub 2026-04-14
Chaptered 2026-05-20

History (55 actions)

Date	Chamber	Action
2026-05-20		Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1131)
2026-05-20		Approved by Governor-Chapter 1131 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-23		Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026
2026-04-23	H	Communicated to Governor
2026-04-23	H	Passed by for the day
2026-04-22	H	Passed by for the day
2026-04-12		Governor's recommendation received by House
2026-04-01	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482)
2026-03-31		Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-31	H	Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
2026-03-31	H	Signed by Speaker
2026-03-30	S	Signed by President
2026-03-30	H	Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1482ER)
2026-03-30	H	Enrolled
2026-03-20	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482)
2026-03-14	H	Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-03-13	S	Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-13		Conference Report released
2026-03-12	S	Senate Conferees: Salim, Carroll Foy, Peake
2026-03-12	S	Conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-12	H	House Conferees: Schmidt, Simon, Wilt
2026-03-12	H	Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-12	H	House acceded to request
2026-03-12	S	Senate requested conference committee
2026-03-12	S	Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-11	H	Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 99-N 0-A)
2026-03-10	S	Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
2026-03-10	S	Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
2026-03-10	S	Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
2026-03-10	S	Read third time
2026-03-09	S	Passed by for the day
2026-03-06	S	Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-05	S	Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-05	S	Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-05	S	Rules suspended
2026-03-04	S	Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
2026-03-02	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482)
2026-02-27	S	Committee substitute printed 26108630D-S1
2026-02-25	S	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)
2026-02-25	S	Senate committee offered
2026-02-13	S	Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2026-02-13	S	Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-12	H	Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-02-12	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482)
2026-02-11	H	Engrossed by House as amended
2026-02-11	H	committee amendments agreed to
2026-02-11	H	Read second time
2026-02-10	H	Read first time
2026-02-06	H	Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s) (15-Y 7-N)
2026-02-06	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (4-Y 1-N)
2026-02-06	H	House subcommittee offered
2026-01-29	H	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1482)
2026-01-28	H	Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #3
2026-01-23	H	Referred to Committee on Public Safety
2026-01-23	H	Presented and ordered printed 26105678D