Bill > HB885

This bill establishes a Court Date Reminder Program, to be developed or procured by the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, with the primary goal of reducing instances where criminal defendants are taken into custody solely for failing to appear in court and to improve overall court efficiency. The program will send text message notifications to defendants with criminal cases or traffic infractions in general district or circuit courts, reminding them of their scheduled court appearances and providing relevant information, though defendants will have the option to opt out of receiving these messages. The bill also allows for alternative communication methods like phone or email if text messages cannot be received, and it mandates that law enforcement and court staff collect defendant telephone numbers for this purpose, with strict privacy protections in place to ensure these numbers are used solely for court reminders and are not shared or used for investigative purposes. Additionally, the bill amends existing law to include a field for telephone numbers on summonses for motor vehicle violations, specifically for use by this new reminder program.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB885