HB 697

  • Virginia House Bill
  • 2024 Regular Session
  • Introduced in House Jan 09, 2024
  • Passed House Feb 08, 2024
  • Senate
  • Governor

Synthetic media; use in furtherance of crimes involving fraud, etc., report.

Abstract

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 applicabilityof provisions related to defamation, slander, and libel to includesynthetic media, defined in the bill. The bill makes it a Class 1misdemeanor for any person to generate, create, or use or cause tobe generated, created, or used any deceptive audio or visual media,defined in the bill, for the purpose of committing a criminal offenseinvolving fraud. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that suchdeceptive audio or visual media was generated or created for thepurpose of committing such criminal offense if such deceptive audioor visual media is subsequently used as part of a plan or courseof conduct to commit such criminal offense. The bill also authorizesthe individual depicted in the deceptive audio or visual media tobring a civil action against the person who violates such prohibition to recover actual damages, reasonable attorney fees, and such otherrelief as the court determines to be appropriate. The bill directsthe Attorney General to convene a work group to study and make recommendationson the current enforcement of laws related to the use of deceptive audio or visual media, including deepfakes, and any further actionneeded to address the issue of such use in fraudulent acts.

Bill Sponsors (5)

Votes


Actions


Feb 19, 2024

Senate

Continued to 2025 in Courts of Justice (11-Y 2-N)

Feb 09, 2024

Senate

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Senate

Constitutional reading dispensed

Feb 08, 2024

House

Impact statement from DPB (HB697H1)

House

VOTE: Block Vote Passage (98-Y 0-N)

House

Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)

Feb 07, 2024

House

Read second time

House

Committee substitute agreed to 24106145D-H1

House

Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB697H1

Feb 06, 2024

House

Read first time

Feb 02, 2024

House

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

House

Committee substitute printed 24106145D-H1

Jan 31, 2024

House

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N)

House

House subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered

Jan 30, 2024

House

Assigned Courts sub: Criminal

Jan 23, 2024

House

Impact statement from DPB (HB697)

Jan 09, 2024

House

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

House

Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24105106D

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24105106D PDF HTML
Committee substitute printed 24106145D-H1 PDF HTML

Related Documents

Document Format
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB697FH1122.PDF PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: HB697F122.PDF PDF

Sources

Data on Open States is updated periodically throughout the day from the official website of the Virginia General Assembly.

If you notice any inconsistencies with these official sources, feel free to file an issue.