HOUSE BILL NO. 2570 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled January 10, 2007 A BILL to amend and reenact § 19.2-11.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to crime victim's right to nondisclosure of certain information ---------- Patron-- Shannon ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 19.2-11.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 19.2-11.2. Crime victim's right to nondisclosure of certain information; exceptions; testimonial privilege.

Upon request of any witness in a criminal prosecution under § 18.2-46.2 or 18.2-46.3, or any crime victim, neither a law-enforcement agency, the attorney for the Commonwealth, the counsel for a defendant, a court nor the Department of Corrections, nor any employee of any of them, may disclose, except among themselves, the residential address, telephone number, or place of employment of the witness or victim or a member of the witness' or victim's family, except to the extent that disclosure is (i) of the site of the crime, (ii) required by law or Rules of the Supreme Court, (iii) necessary for law-enforcement purposes or preparation for court proceedings, or (iv) permitted by the court for good cause.

Except with the written consent of the victim, a law-enforcement agency may not disclose to the public information which directly or indirectly identifies the victim of a crime involving any sexual assault, sexual abuse or family abuse, except to the extent that disclosure is (i) of the site of the crime, (ii) required by law, (iii) necessary for law-enforcement purposes, or (iv) permitted by the court for good cause. In addition, at the request of the victim of a crime involving any sexual assault or sexual abuse, the court may order that the name of the victim appear only as the initials of the victim's given and family names in all court documents.

Nothing herein shall limit the right to examine witnesses in a court of law or otherwise affect the conduct of any criminal proceeding.