VA Governor Signs Law Banning No-Knock Search Warrants

RICHMOND, VA — Gov. Ralph Northam ceremonially signed a law on Monday banning no-knock search warrants in Virginia named after Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot when Louisville, Kentucky police carried out a no-knock search warrant at her home.

Taylor's aunts, Bianca Austin and Tahasha Holloway, were present for the ceremonial signing of the legislation, titled "Breonna's Law." The governor had formally signed the legislation, House Bill 5099 and Senate Bill 5030 sponsored by Del. Lashrecse Aird and state Sen. Mamie Locke, on Oct. 28.

Northam said in a statement Virginia was the third state to ban the use of no-knock search warrants and the first since the death of Taylor in March. The legislation prohibits law enforcement officers from seeking, executing, or participating in the execution of a no-knock search warrant.

Under the legislation, law enforcement officers must be identified as a uniformed officer and "provide audible notice of his authority and purpose reasonably expected to be heard by occupants of such place to be searched prior to the execution of such search warrant." It also requires the executing officer to read and give a copy of the search warrant to the person to be searched or the owner of the location to be searched.

"Virginia is leading the way on policing reforms like this one, which will make our communities safer and our criminal justice system more fair and equitable," said Northam in a statement. "While nothing can bring back Breonna Taylor, and so many others, we honor them when change laws, when we act to right long-standing wrongs, and when we do the work to make sure more names do not follow theirs."

A renewed call for policing reforms and steps to address systemic racism followed the deaths of Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and other Black people. After a special session of the General Assembly, Northam signed numerous laws relating to policing reform.

These laws establish a mandate of law enforcement agencies and jails to request past employment and disciplinary history of new hires, strengthening of the process of decertifying law enforcement officers, limit of the circumstances in which law enforcement officers can use neck restraints, requirement for law enforcement officers to intervene when they witness another officer engaging or attempting excessive force, and more.

At the ceremonial signing, Austin said the Taylor family appreciated steps like the no-knock ban in Virginia, but justice to them means seeing the involved officers held accountable.

"We hope encourages other states to get on board with passing this no-knock warrant, and he we hope...people can follow Virginia's footsteps in the right direction and just ban no-knock warrants across the United States, period," said Austin.

As reported by the Associated Press, Louisville police claimed they knocked and announced themselves before breaking into Taylor's home. Kenneth Walker, Taylor's boyfriend, disputes that claim and believed intruders had broken in rather than police. Walker discharged his gun and struck an officer in the leg, and the return of fire from police led to the fatal shooting of Taylor.

In September, a grand jury charged a former police detective with wanton endangerment for shooting into neighboring apartments, but there were no charges directly related to Taylor's death.

Associated Press reporting contributed to this story.