# Virginia HB1140: Drug-related investigations; use of confidential informants.

Virginia HB1140, Drug-related investigations; use of confidential informants., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Mike A. Cherry (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0742)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1140-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1140
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Drug-related investigations; use of confidential informants.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0742)
- Sponsor: Mike A. Cherry (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 11 (343 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Use of confidential informants in drug-related investigations. Directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish a model policy for the use of confidential informants in drug-related investigations and to include in such model policy that (i) no individual currently on probation or pretrial may serve as a confidential informant without notice to his probation, pretrial services, or parole officer; (ii) no individual who has, within the last six months, been found to have violated the terms of his probation or parole shall serve as a confidential informant whose testimony may be necessary in the prosecution of a criminal matter in the courts of the Commonwealth; (iii) law-enforcement personnel shall obtain approval from the appropriate local attorney for the Commonwealth prior to working with a confidential informant; and (iv) such confidential informant shall not unlawfully use or possess any controlled substances.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New safeguards for drug informant use: benefit, low. The law requires Virginia’s Criminal Justice Services Board to create a model policy for confidential informants in drug investigations. The policy must require police to get approval from the appropriate local prosecutor before working with an informant. For informants currently on probation or pr…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mike A. Cherry (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | House | Senate amendment agreed to by House | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendment | pass | 38 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment | pass | 13 | 0 | 2 |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 7 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations | pass | 7 | 0 |   |

## Actions (37)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0742) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 742 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1140) (House)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-13: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1140ER) (House)
- 2026-03-13: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-06: Senate amendment agreed to by House (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Passed Senate with amendment (38-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment (13-Y 0-N 2-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1140) (House)
- 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-02-16: committee amendments agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-13: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-11: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1140) (House)
- 2026-02-06: Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-06: Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety (House)
- 2026-02-05: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-05: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1140) (House)
- 2026-01-23: Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #2 (House)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103740D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222179.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222178.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203588.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203587.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194823.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190934.HTML)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-16: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1144813.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1144812.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132804.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128118.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128243.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088333.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088332.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222179.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222178.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203588.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203587.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194823.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190934.HTML)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1144813.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1144812.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132804.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128118.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128243.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088333.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088332.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1140-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).