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Virginia · 2025 Regular Session · Bill

HB 2177: Unmanned aircraft systems; use by public bodies, certain employees.

Enacted Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

HB 2177 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 7, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Unmanned aircraft systems; use by public bodies, certain employees. Primary sponsor: Wendell Walker (Republican). Most recent recorded action (March 24, 2025): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0400).

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Wendell WalkerPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse52

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0400)
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 400 (Effective 07/01/25)
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025
  5. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2177)
  6. Signed by President
  7. Signed by Speaker
  8. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2177ER)
  9. Enrolled
  10. Senate Amendments agreed to by House (97-Y 0-N)
  11. Passed Senate with amendments (40-Y 0-N)
  12. Engrossed by Senate as amended

Showing 12 most recent of 36 actions. Full history

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source