Committee adopts amendments to HB 2038 on insecure uncrewed aircraft systems, lays bill on table pending federal alignment

The committee adopted a set of amendments to House Bill 2038, which addresses procurement and use of insecure uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), and then voted to lay the bill on the table while requesting further review and coordination with relevant technical authorities.

Delegate Anthony, the bill’s patron, said HB 2038 was intended to prohibit procurement and use of insecure UAS but that recent federal action in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) required changes. Anthony told the committee the floor substitute and related budget amendments would help public bodies transition away from affected equipment and align state policy with federal requirements.

Committee members voted by voice to adopt the amendments. Anthony described the amendments as removing preemption, aligning the bill with the federal NDAA, and building an infrastructure to support law enforcement and emergency services during the transition. He said the substitute also added a cybersecurity provision involving the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) and called for coordination with the Virginia Department of Aviation.

After adopting the amendments, a member moved to lay the bill on the table and asked the chair to send a letter requesting review by the appropriate legislative counsel or advisory body to evaluate the amended language. The committee approved that motion by voice vote. The transcript records members saying the changes were intended to give public entities an "easy transition" and to exclude "advanced air mobility," which the bill does not address.

The committee did not record a roll-call tally for the final tabling motion; the transcript records voice votes for both the amendments and the motion to lay the bill on the table.