Adds criminal investigative files, defined in the bill, to the types of law-enforcement and criminal records required to be released in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Under current law, the release of criminal investigative files is discretionary. The bill also allows a law-enforcement agency or attorney for the Commonwealth to petition a court of record for permission not to release criminal incident information that would otherwise be subject to release, if the release of such information is likely to jeopardize an ongoing investigation or cause certain other harms.

Statutes affected:
House: Presented and ordered printed 20200705D: 2.2-3706
House: Committee substitute printed 20200992D-H1: 2.2-3706
House: Floor substitute printed 20201145D-H2 (Hurst): 2.2-3706
House: Floor substitute printed 20201160D-H3 (Hurst): 2.2-3706