Bill > HB4468

This bill makes changes to the confidentiality of court files and law-enforcement records in West Virginia, specifically concerning victims of certain crimes. It requires that the name and address of victims in criminal complaints for listed offenses, such as those related to sexual offenses and domestic violence, be kept confidential. If these criminal complaints are disclosed, the victim's name and address must be redacted, meaning they will be blacked out or removed. The bill also allows for victims to waive this confidentiality in writing and permits disclosure to other government entities for official duties, provided those entities also maintain the same level of confidentiality. Importantly, this bill repeals previous provisions that allowed for court orders and subpoenas to obtain these confidential records, simplifying the process for protecting victim information. Additionally, it updates internal effective dates for these provisions and requests the Supreme Court of Appeals to create necessary rules to implement these changes, extending the deadline for these rules to July 1, 2026.