SB 647 VA

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Became Law

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 HB 1219.

• Todd E. Pillion Republican · primary

1. Jan 14, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103704D · upper
2. Jan 14, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · upper
3. Feb 11, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
4. Feb 11, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (13-Y 1-N 1-A) · upper
5. Feb 12, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26106981D-S1 · upper
6. Feb 13, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
7. Feb 13, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
8. Feb 13, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
9. Feb 16, 2026 Read second time · upper
10. Feb 16, 2026 Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) · upper
11. Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) · upper
12. Feb 16, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB647) · upper
13. Feb 17, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
14. Feb 24, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
15. Feb 24, 2026 Read first time · lower
16. Feb 24, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · lower
17. Mar 2, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N) · lower
18. Mar 3, 2026 Read second time · lower
19. Mar 4, 2026 Read third time · lower
20. Mar 4, 2026 committee amendment agreed to · lower
21. Mar 4, 2026 Engrossed by House as amended · lower
22. Mar 4, 2026 Passed House with amendment (97-Y 0-N 0-A) · lower
23. Mar 4, 2026 Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House · lower
24. Mar 4, 2026 Passed House with amendment (99-Y 0-N 0-A) · lower
25. Mar 6, 2026 House amendment agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
26. Mar 12, 2026 Enrolled · lower
27. Mar 12, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB647ER) · upper
28. Mar 12, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
29. Mar 12, 2026 Signed by President · upper
30. Mar 14, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 · upper
31. Mar 14, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
32. Mar 18, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB647) · upper
33. Apr 6, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 271 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
34. Apr 6, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0271) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• House Amendment · HTML
• Courts of Justice Amendment · HTML
• Courts of Justice Substitute · PDF
• Courts of Justice Substitute · HTML
• Courts of Justice Substitute · PDF
• Courts of Justice Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML