Virginia · 2025 Regular Session · Bill
HB 697: Synthetic media; use in furtherance of crimes involving fraud, etc., report.
Passed one chamber Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
HB 697 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 9, 2024. According to its official title, it concerns: Synthetic media; use in furtherance of crimes involving fraud, etc., report. Primary sponsor: Michelle Lopes Maldonado. It lists 4 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (November 19, 2024): Left in Courts of Justice.
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.
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.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 4
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle Lopes Maldonado | Primary sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Bonita Anthony | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 92 |
| Nadarius Clark | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 84 |
| J.R. Henson | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 19 |
| Irene Shin | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 8 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Left in Courts of Justice
- Continued to 2025 in Courts of Justice (11-Y 2-N)
- Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
- Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- VOTE: Block Vote Passage (98-Y 0-N)
- Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)
- Impact statement from DPB (HB697H1)
- Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB697H1
- Committee substitute agreed to 24106145D-H1
- Read second time
- Read first time
- Committee substitute printed 24106145D-H1
Showing 12 most recent of 19 actions. Full history