---
type: "Bill"
title: "Search warrant; search of place of abode, copy of affidavit to be part of warrant."
description: "Search warrant; search of place of abode; copy of affidavit to be part of warrant and served therewith; temporary sealing. Provides that if an affidavit that accompanies a search warrant for a place of abode has been sealed pursuant to relevant law, the executing law-enforcement officer does not have to give or leave a copy of such affidavit in a conspicuous place within or affixed to the place to be searched. The bill also adds that the circumstances requiring the issuance of a warrant after 5:00 p.m. shall be documented in the required affidavit that is submitted to a magistrate when seeking such authorization. This bill incorporates HB 1028."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2026"
identifier: "HB 690"
citation: "Virginia HB 690 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Eric R. Zehr"]
version_count: 7
action_count: 33
vote_count: 7
first_action: "2026-01-13"
last_action: "2026-04-06"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/d7f7884c-78e2-4cfe-b599-57abfaff1404"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB690"
source_hash: "d98a3f38680ac632b7519f4898b3ed4f8e42c77e5813651b44ada4a9c1b7c275"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-va"]
---

# Virginia HB 690 (2026) — Search warrant; search of place of abode, copy of affidavit to be part of warrant.

Search warrant; search of place of abode; copy of affidavit to be part of warrant and served therewith; temporary sealing. Provides that if an affidavit that accompanies a search warrant for a place of abode has been sealed pursuant to relevant law, the executing law-enforcement officer does not have to give or leave a copy of such affidavit in a conspicuous place within or affixed to the place to be searched. The bill also adds that the circumstances requiring the issuance of a warrant after 5:00 p.m. shall be documented in the required affidavit that is submitted to a magistrate when seeking such authorization. This bill incorporates HB 1028.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085527.PDF)
2. **Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216813.PDF)
3. **Courts of Justice Amendment** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186698.HTML)
4. **Courts of Justice Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142307.PDF)
5. **Criminal Subcommittee Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128462.PDF)
6. **Senate Amendments** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189038.HTML)
7. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199400.PDF)

## Votes

- Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments — **15–0** (pass) · upper
- Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) — **37–0** (pass) · upper
- H VOTE: — **96–0** (pass) · lower
- Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute — **10–0** (pass) · lower
- H VOTE: — **96–0** (pass) · lower
- Passage R — **40–0** (pass) · upper
- Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute — **22–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Eric R. Zehr — primary (person)
- Wendell S. Walker — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-01-13** Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103529D `filing, introduction`
- **2026-01-13** Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-03** Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-04** Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) `substitution`
- **2026-02-11** Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-11** Committee substitute printed 26107312D-H1 `substitution`
- **2026-02-11** Incorporates HB1028 (Walker)
- **2026-02-13** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2026-02-16** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB690)
- **2026-02-16** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-02-16** committee substitute agreed to `substitution`
- **2026-02-16** Engrossed by House - committee substitute `substitution`
- **2026-02-17** Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A) `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-02-18** Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- **2026-02-18** Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-25** Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (15-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-27** Rules suspended
- **2026-02-27** Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)
- **2026-02-27** Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- **2026-03-02** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2026-03-02** Committee amendments agreed to (Voice Vote) `amendment-passage`
- **2026-03-02** Engrossed by Senate as amended
- **2026-03-02** Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) `passage`
- **2026-03-04** Senate amendments agreed to by House (96-Y 0-N 0-A) `amendment-passage`
- **2026-03-11** Enrolled `enrolled`
- **2026-03-11** Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB690ER) `passage`
- **2026-03-11** Signed by President `passage`
- **2026-03-12** Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2026-03-12** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB690)
- **2026-03-14** Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 `enrolled, executive-receipt`
- **2026-03-14** Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 `executive-receipt`
- **2026-04-06** Approved by Governor-Chapter 203 (effective 7/1/2026) `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-06** Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0203)

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/d7f7884c-78e2-4cfe-b599-57abfaff1404`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).