# Virginia SB647: Unmanned aircraft systems; use by law-enforcement officers, search warrants.

Virginia SB647, Unmanned aircraft systems; use by law-enforcement officers, search warrants., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Todd E. Pillion (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0271)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB647-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB647
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Unmanned aircraft systems; use by law-enforcement officers, search warrants.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0271)
- Sponsor: Todd E. Pillion (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 9 (347 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

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.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Government drone weapon ban needs reenactment: benefit, medium. The law makes this ban dependent on reenactment by the 2027 General Assembly; it is not yet effective. The delayed ban bars covered Virginia state and local agencies from deploying weaponized drones or helping others use them. Operations at the Space Port and Naval/Aegis facilities at Wallops Islan…
- Virginia must publish police drone guidance: benefit, low. Virginia's Department of Criminal Justice Services must create a model drone-use policy for state and local police and sheriff's offices. It must consult the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission and the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys. The department must post the policy on its web…
- Police drone limits need 2027 reenactment: mixed, medium. The law makes these changes dependent on reenactment by the 2027 General Assembly; they are not yet effective. The delayed rules require Virginia state and local agencies with criminal-law-enforcement or regulatory authority to obtain warrants for drone use. Search, administrative, or inspection wa…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Todd E. Pillion (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | House amendment agreed to by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House with amendment Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House with amendment Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | Senate | Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 36 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 13 | 1 | 1 |

## Actions (34)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0271) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 271 (Effective - see bill) (Governor)
- 2026-03-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB647) (Senate)
- 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 (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB647ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-06: House amendment agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed House with amendment Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2026-03-04: Passed House with amendment Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-03-04: committee amendment agreed to (House)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-03: Read second time (House)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-24: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-02-24: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-24: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB647) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Committee substitute printed 26106981D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (13-Y 1-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103704D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217219.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217218.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202778.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202777.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194174.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189982.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143299.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143298.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142213.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142212.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091620.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091619.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/1217219.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217218.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202778.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202777.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194174.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189982.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143299.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143298.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142213.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142212.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091620.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091619.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-SB647-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).