Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; definitions, contracted defense facility, penalty.
Summary
Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; contracted defense facility; penalty. Creates a Class 4 felony for any person who knowingly, intentionally, and without authorization causes an unmanned aircraft system to enter the property of and obtains or attempts to obtain any videographic or still image that contains or reveals any controlled technical information located within a contracted defense facility, as those terms are defined in the bill. The bill also provides that the owner or operator of a contracted defense facility and its employees shall be immune from criminal prosecution and civil liability as a result of preventing, stopping, deterring, interrupting, or repelling, or attempting to prevent, stop, deter, interrupt, or repel, an unmanned aircraft system from entering the property of such contracted defense facility or from stopping, interrupting, or repelling, or attempting to stop, interrupt, or repel, an unmanned aircraft system that has entered such property, provided that such action does not result in injury to any person. This bill is identical to SB 757.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 4, 2025
Signed Mar 24, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons
What changed between versions
Courts of Justice Substitute
→
Chaptered
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill transitioned from a Senate substitute version to a chaptered version, indicating it has been approved and enacted into law. The substantive policy content regarding unmanned aircraft system trespass laws remains unchanged, with no modifications to penalties, definitions, or exemptions.
Scope change
No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; this is a procedural transition from draft to enacted law.
TECHNICAL
Removed Senate substitute header information including bill number, committee details, and amendment dates.
Added chapter designation (Chapter 374), approval date (March 24, 2025), and official formatting consistent with enacted Virginia laws.
Reformatted text to match official legislative document standards with proper spacing and alignment.
Floor votes · Senate Feb 13, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 4, 2025
How they voted
40–0
Passed
Total votes 40
Feb 13, 2025
D
Democratic21
100% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
41
Key actions
11
Committee
6
Mar 24, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 374 (Effective 07/01/25)
executive
Feb 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1726ER)
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with substitute (36-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Feb 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 5, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
upper
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House (99-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (20-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Committee
Assigned Courts sub: Criminal
lower
Jan 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
lower
1 primary · 26 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Cia Price
DDemocratic
Co
Alex Askew
DDemocratic
Co
Amy Laufer
DDemocratic
Co
Atoosa Reaser
DDemocratic
Co
Bonita Anthony
DDemocratic
Co
Briana Sewell
DDemocratic
Co
Chad Green
RRepublican
Co
Debra Gardner
DDemocratic
Co
Eric Phillips
RRepublican
Co
Israel O'Quinn
RRepublican
Co
J.R. Henson
DDemocratic
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