SB 980 Virginia Senate · 2019 Regular Session

Statewide e-filing system; creating for civil case filings.

Summary
Provides that, except as otherwise provided by law, beginning July 1, 2019, no petition, pleading, motion, order, or decree filed in a civil case in a circuit court, including any agreement of the parties or transcripts, shall contain the social security number of any party, or of any minor child of any party, or any identifying financial information of any party. The bill further provides that, where such information is required by law, such information shall be contained in a separate addendum file by the attorney or party in such civil case. The bill further requires each circuit clerk to establish and operate a system for electronic filing. Current law provides that any such clerk may establish and operate such a system. The bill provides that, in any civil case filed on or after July 1, 2019, clerks of the circuit courts shall maintain all nonconfidential documents in electronic form and make such documents available through secure remote access and searchable by name and case number across all circuit courts that use the Office of the Executive Secretary's electronic imaging system. The bill directs the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court to administer a paid subscription service that provides access to all electronic records maintained by the clerks who use such electronic imaging system for civil cases filed on or after July 1, 2019. The bill specifies that such subscription shall be on an annual basis, with an annual fee to be established by the Judicial Council of Virginia. The bill provides that any sums collected pursuant to such subscription shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the Courts Technology Fund. The bill directs the Virginia Information Technologies Agency to update its document entitled "Security Standard for Restricted Remote Access to Documents on Court-Controlled Websites" consistent with the provisions of the bill by July 1, 2019. The requirement that the Virginia Information Technologies Agency update such document becomes effective in due course; the remaining provisions of the bill become effective on July 1, 2019. The provisions of the bill are contingent upon funding in a general appropriation act.
Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2018
Committee Review
Feb 2018
Senate Passage
Feb 2018
House of Delegates Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 19, 2018 Last action Mar 2, 2018
Floor votes · Senate Feb 7, 2018

How they voted

330
Passed
Total votes 33
Feb 7, 2018
D Democratic14
14 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
3
Committee
6
Amendments
2
Feb 19, 2018
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2019 by voice vote
lower
Feb 15, 2018
Committee
Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #2
lower
Feb 14, 2018
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
lower
Feb 8, 2018
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended SB980E
upper
Feb 8, 2018
Upper · Passed
Committee amendment agreed to
upper
Feb 8, 2018
Introduced
Reading of amendment waived
upper
Feb 7, 2018
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (33-0)
senate
Jan 31, 2018
Committee
Rereferred to Finance
upper
Jan 19, 2018
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
upper
Jan 19, 2018
Introduced
Presented and ordered printed 18105604D
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Mark Obenshain
Mark Obenshain
RRepublican
VA
2