# Virginia HB2177: Unmanned aircraft systems; use by public bodies, certain employees.

Virginia HB2177, Unmanned aircraft systems; use by public bodies, certain employees., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Wendell S. Walker (Republican); status to governor, last action 2025-03-24 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0400)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2177-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB2177
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Unmanned aircraft systems; use by public bodies, certain employees.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-07
- Last action: 2025-03-24, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0400)
- Sponsor: Wendell S. Walker (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 8 (417 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Use of unmanned aircraft systems by public bodies; employees. Allows a law-enforcement officer or an employee of a law-enforcement agency to deploy an unmanned aircraft system without a warrant (i) following an accident where a report is required pursuant to relevant law to survey the scene of such accident for the purpose of crash reconstruction and record the scene by photographic or video images or (ii) to (a) aerially survey a primary residence of the subject of the arrest warrant to formulate a plan to execute an existing arrest warrant or capias for a felony offense or (b) locate a person sought for arrest when such person has fled from a law-enforcement officer and a law-enforcement officer remains in hot pursuit of such person. Current law allows a law-enforcement officer to operate an unmanned aircraft system under such conditions. The bill also permits a law-enforcement officer to deploy an unmanned aircraft system without a warrant where such officer is investigating unmanned aircraft systems surrounding or over property of the federal or state government, public critical infrastructure, or nongovernment-operated prison or jail facilities.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Wendell S. Walker (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-20 | House | Senate Amendments agreed to by House | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-19 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-17 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-29 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-24 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (36)

- 2025-03-24: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0400) (Governor)
- 2025-03-24: Approved by Governor-Chapter 400 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (House)
- 2025-03-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2177) (House)
- 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2177ER) (House)
- 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-20: Senate Amendments agreed to by House (97-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Reading of amendments waived (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-04: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-03: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2177) (House)
- 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-02-03: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read second time (House)
- 2025-01-31: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-29: Committee substitute printed 25106231D-H1 (House)
- 2025-01-29: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-24: Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-21: Assigned Courts sub: Criminal (House)
- 2025-01-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2177) (House)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25100571D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074173.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074172.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067017.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067016.PDF)
- Amendment, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062443.HTML)
- Amendment, 2025-02-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054276.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1055143.HTML)
- Substitute, 2025-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1033122.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1033121.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015426.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015425.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074173.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074172.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067017.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067016.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062443.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054276.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1055143.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1033122.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1033121.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015426.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015425.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2177-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).