Virginia Bills

Provides that the office of the general registrar in all counties and cities is to be open a minimum of five days a week. Under current law, counties with a population of less than 10,000 and cities with a population of less than 7,500 are required to be open a minimum of three days a week, and additional days may be required by the general appropriation act. This bill was incorporated into

Increases from $200 to $500 the threshold amount of money taken or value of goods or chattel taken at which the crime rises from petit larceny to grand larceny. This bill was incorporated into

Requires the attorney for the Commonwealth, upon written notice by an accused to the court and to the attorney for the Commonwealth, to permit the accused to inspect and copy or photograph (i) any relevant written or recorded statements or confessions made by the accused and the substance of any oral statements or confessions made by the accused to any law-enforcement officer; (ii) any relevant written reports of autopsies, ballistic tests, fingerprint analyses, handwriting analyses, blood, urine, and breath tests, and other scientific reports and written reports of a physical or mental examination of the accused or the alleged victim; (iii) any books, papers, documents, tangible objects, buildings, or places, or copies or portions thereof, that are within the possession, custody, or control of the Commonwealth; (iv) any relevant police reports, as defined in the bill; and (v) all relevant statements, as defined in the bill, of any non-expert witness whom the Commonwealth is required to designate on a witness list. The bill also provides that if the accused files a written notice the accused shall (a) permit the Commonwealth to inspect, copy, or photograph any written reports of autopsy examinations, ballistic tests, fingerprint, blood, urine, and breath analyses, and other scientific tests that are within the possession, custody, or control of the accused and that the accused intends to introduce in evidence at the trial or sentencing; (b) disclose whether he intends to introduce evidence to establish an alibi; (c) if he intends to rely upon a defense of insanity, permit the Commonwealth to inspect, copy, or photograph any written reports of physical or mental examination of the accused made in connection with the case; and (d) disclose all relevant statements of any non-expert witness, other than the defendant, whom the defense is required to designate on a witness list. The bill provides that for good cause a party may withhold or redact certain information from such disclosures and the opposing party may file a motion to compel disclosure or to remove any restriction. The accused's duty to provide discovery shall be in addition to any duty to provide reciprocal discovery pursuant to Rule 3A:11 of the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia.