Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia HB 1219
Unmanned aircraft systems; use by law-enforcement officers, search warrants.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Briana D. Sewell (Democratic)
Cosponsors (1)
- Jackie H. Glass (Democratic)
Summary
Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED
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.
Text versions
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:04 PM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 9, 2026 Senate | Passage R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 5, 2026 Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 4, 2026 Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 25, 2026 Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 17, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 11, 2026 House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 6, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
Actions
- Apr 6, 2026
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0270) - Apr 6, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 270 (effective 7/1/2026) - Mar 25, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 - Mar 25, 2026 · House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026 - Mar 18, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1219) - Mar 14, 2026 · Senate
Signed by President - Mar 14, 2026 · House
Signed by Speaker - Mar 14, 2026 · House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1219ER) - Mar 14, 2026 · House
Enrolled - Mar 9, 2026 · Senate
Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 9, 2026 · Senate
Read third time - Mar 6, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) - Mar 5, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) - Mar 5, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 5, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) - Feb 25, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) - Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice - Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) - Feb 17, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact statement From DPB (2/17/2026 3:20 pm) - Feb 17, 2026 · House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute - Feb 17, 2026 · House
Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) - Feb 16, 2026 · House
committee substitute agreed to - Feb 16, 2026 · House
Read second time - Feb 13, 2026 · House
Read first time - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Committee substitute printed 26106525D-H1 - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N) - Feb 6, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) - Feb 6, 2026 · House
House subcommittee offered - Jan 23, 2026 · House
Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal - Jan 14, 2026 · House
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice - Jan 14, 2026 · House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103614D