Virginia Passes New Law Allowing for Bulk Criminal Data Requests

Effective July 1^st, 2018, a new Virginia law gives the public broad access to Virginia criminal records.

From The Daily Press:

“The law allows people to make requests for bulk data to the Office of the Executive Secretary, which has to fulfill the request in 30 days. Names, birthdays and Social Security numbers are not included in the bulk data requests.

The law also directs the OES to create an online case information database — essentially allowing someone to search by name to see what offenses that person has across Virginia — by July 1, 2019. Right now, someone would have to search manually through each jurisdiction in the state to get that information.

It doesn’t address civil records, something Del. Mike Mullin, D-Newport News, and Sen. Monty Mason, D-Williamsburg, said they want to address in the future. The two were adamant supporters of getting the law for accessing criminal records changed, along with Del. Greg Habeeb, R-Salem, and state Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg.

The bill also doesn’t address data from juvenile and domestic relations courts because those cases aren’t currently online, but Habeeb said that was something he hoped the General Assembly would tackle next session.”

To read more from The Daily Press, click HERE. To read the text of the relevant legislation that led to these changes, see House Bill 780 and Senate Bill 564.

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