VirginiaAutomatic license plate recognition systems; use, reports, penalty.
What it does
Use of automatic license plate recognition systems; reports; penalty. Requires the Division of Purchases and Supply of the Department of General Services (the Division) to determine and approve the automatic license plate recognition systems, defined in the bill, for use in the Commonwealth and provides requirements for use of such systems by law-enforcement agencies. The bill limits the use of such systems by law-enforcement agencies to the following purposes: (i) as part of a criminal investigation into an alleged criminal violation of the Code of Virginia or any ordinance of any county, city, or town where there is a reasonable suspicion that a crime was committed; (ii) as part of an active investigation related to a missing or endangered person, including whether to issue an alert for such person, or a person associated with human trafficking; or (iii) to receive notifications related to a missing or endangered person, a person with an outstanding warrant, a person associated with human trafficking, a stolen vehicle, or a stolen license plate.The bill requires annual reports from law-enforcement agencies using such systems that provide de-identified information concerning the use of the systems and from the State Police that aggregate such information statewide beginning April 1, 2027.
More detail
The bill also requires a law-enforcement officer or State Police officer to collect data on whether a stop of a driver of a motor vehicle or stop or temporary detention of a person was based on a notification from an automatic license plate recognition system prior to such stop and if so, the specific reason for the notification as set forth in relevant law.The provisions of the bill that require a law-enforcement agency to obtain a permit from the Department of Transportation in accordance with regulations of the Commonwealth Transportation Board before installing an automatic license plate recognition system on a state right-of-way do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2026 Session of the General Assembly. Except for provisions requiring (a) the Division to determine and approve automatic license plate recognition systems for use in the Commonwealth, which shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and (b) law-enforcement officers to collect data on whether a stop was based on a notification from an automatic license plate recognition system, which shall become effective January 1, 2026, the provisions of the bill become effective in due course. The bill requires the Division, in consultation with the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, to determine such systems for use in the Commonwealth and publicly post a list of such systems by January 1, 2026. Finally, the bill requires the Virginia State Crime Commission to collect data and conduct surveys of law-enforcement agencies to assess the use of automatic license plate recognition systems and report its findings by the first day of the 2026 Regular Session and again on November 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia State Crime Commission.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- May 2Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0720)Latest
- May 2Approved by Governor Glenn Youngkin-Chapter 720 (Effective - see bill)Became Law
- Apr 2Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 2, 2025To Governor
- Vote recorded Passed by for the day. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 2Communicated to Governor
- Apr 2Passed by for the day (47-Y 46-N)
- Mar 24Governor Glenn Youngkin's recommendation received by HouseMinor
- Mar 11Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025Minor
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025Minor
- Mar 10Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 7EnrolledMinor
- Mar 7Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 7Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2724)
- Mar 7EnrolledMinor
- Feb 25Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2724)
- Feb 20Senate substitute agreed to by House (71-Y 24-N)Major
- Vote recorded Senate substitute agreed to by House (71-Y 24-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Passed Senate with substitute (28-Y 11-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 20Passed Senate with substitute (28-Y 11-N)Passed Senate
- Feb 20Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 20Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
- Feb 20Reading of substitute waived
- Feb 20Read third timeMinor
- Feb 19Passed by for the day
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 19Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N)
- Feb 19Rules suspended
- Feb 17Reported from Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 3-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 3-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 3-N 1-A). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 17Committee substitute printed 25107546D-S1Major
- Feb 17Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 3-N 1-A)Minor
- Feb 5Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Feb 5Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 4Read third time and passed House (59-Y 39-N)Passed House
- Vote recorded Read third time and passed House (59-Y 39-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 3Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
- Feb 3Read second timeMinor
- Feb 2Read first timeMinor
- Jan 31Reported from Appropriations (17-Y 5-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Appropriations (17-Y 5-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 30Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2724)
- Jan 30Assigned Approps sub: Transportation & Public SafetyMinor
- Jan 29Committee substitute printed 25106262D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Appropriations (18-Y 4-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 29Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and referred to Appropriations (18-Y 4-N)Minor
- Jan 27Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (5-Y 3-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and rereferred to Appropriations (5-Y 3-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 25Assigned Courts sub: CriminalMinor
- Jan 17Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Jan 17Presented and ordered printed 25103292DIntroduced