VA HB 1219
enactedUnmanned aircraft systems; use by law-enforcement officers, search warrants.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower
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Quick answers
Did VA HB 1219 pass?
Yes. VA HB 1219 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-04-06): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0270)
What is VA HB 1219 about?
Use of unmanned aircraft systems by law-enforcement officers; search warrants; model policy. Expedites the issuance of a search warrant for unmanned aircraft systems by law-enforcement officers upon a finding of reasonable and probable cause by an authorized judicial official, as defined in the bill, and permits the use of unmanned aircraft systems without a search warrant when law enforcement is surveying the scene of a crime or to respond to a public safety call for service when such crime scene or call for service is located on public property, to locate a person when such person has fled the offense location during the initial response to an incident, or to provide real-time aerial observation to increase on-scene safety and security. Such provisions are subject to a reenactment clause. The bill also requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in consultation with the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission and the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys, to establish a model policy for the use of unmanned aircraft systems by December 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 647.
Who sponsors VA HB 1219?
Briana D. Sewell is the primary sponsor of VA HB 1219, joined by 1 cosponsor.
Description
Use of unmanned aircraft systems by law-enforcement officers; search warrants; model policy. Expedites the issuance of a search warrant for unmanned aircraft systems by law-enforcement officers upon a finding of reasonable and probable cause by an authorized judicial official, as defined in the bill, and permits the use of unmanned aircraft systems without a search warrant when law enforcement is surveying the scene of a crime or to respond to a public safety call for service when such crime scene or call for service is located on public property, to locate a person when such person has fled the offense location during the initial response to an incident, or to provide real-time aerial observation to increase on-scene safety and security. Such provisions are subject to a reenactment clause. The bill also requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in consultation with the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission and the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys, to establish a model policy for the use of unmanned aircraft systems by December 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 647.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-14
- Latest action
- 2026-04-06 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0270)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Briana D. Sewellprimary
- Jackie H. Glasscosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-04-06
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0270)
2026-04-06
Approved by Governor-Chapter 270 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive-signature
2026-03-25
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-03-25
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-18
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1219)
2026-03-14
Signed by President
passage
2026-03-14
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-03-14
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1219ER)
passage
2026-03-14
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-03-09
Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage
2026-03-09
Read third time
reading-3
2026-03-06
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-05
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
2026-03-05
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-05
Rules suspended
2026-03-04
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-25
Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-18
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
referral-committee
2026-02-18
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-17
Fiscal Impact statement From DPB (2/17/2026 3:20 pm)
2026-02-17
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
substitution
2026-02-17
Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-16
committee substitute agreed to
substitution
2026-02-16
Read second time
reading-2
2026-02-13
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-11
Committee substitute printed 26106525D-H1
substitution
2026-02-11
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-06
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)
substitution
2026-02-06
House subcommittee offered
2026-01-23
Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
referral-committee
2026-01-14
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
referral-committee
2026-01-14
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103614D
filing,introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute
2026-02-06 · pass · 10-0
Member-level votes (10)
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Wren M. Williams: yes
- Will Davis: yes
- Madison Whittle: yes
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute
2026-02-11 · pass · 22-0
Member-level votes (22)
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: yes
- Wren M. Williams: yes
- Will Davis: yes
- Madison Whittle: yes
- Justin Pence: yes
H VOTE:
2026-02-17 · pass · 96-0
Member-level votes (99)
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Mike A. Cherry: yes
- Nadarius E. Clark: not voting
- Laura Jane Cohen: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Nicole Cole: yes
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
- Mitchell Cornett: yes
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Will Davis: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Lindsey Dougherty: yes
- Mark C. Downey: yes
- Michael B. Feggans: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Margaret A. Franklin: yes
- Debra D. Gardner: yes
- Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: yes
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Timothy P. Griffin: yes
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Karen Hamilton: yes
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: yes
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: yes
- Barry D. Knight: not voting
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
- Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
- Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Marty Martinez: yes
- John Chilton McAuliff: not voting
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Garrett McGuire: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
- Joseph P. McNamara: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- James W. Morefield: yes
- May Nivar: yes
- Delores Oates: yes
- Israel D. O'Quinn: yes
- Justin Pence: yes
- Eric Phillips: yes
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Sam Rasoul: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Chris S. Runion: yes
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Don Scott: yes
- Phillip A. Scott: yes
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Irene Shin: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- JJ Singh: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: yes
- Wendell S. Walker: yes
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- R. Lee Ware: yes
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Michael J. Webert: yes
- Madison Whittle: yes
- Bill Wiley: yes
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Wren M. Williams: yes
- Tony O. Wilt: yes
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: yes
- Scott A. Wyatt: yes
- Eric R. Zehr: yes
Reported from Courts of Justice
2026-02-25 · pass · 15-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
Reported from Finance and Appropriations
2026-03-04 · pass · 15-0
Member-level votes (15)
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)
2026-03-05 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: not voting
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Passage R
2026-03-09 · pass · 40-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z
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Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:
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