HB2136: Evidence; accident reconstruction, criminal cases.


HOUSE BILL NO. 2136
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee for Courts of Justice
on January 21, 2019)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Thomas)
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 19.2-270.8, relating to evidence; accident reconstruction expert; criminal cases.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 19.2-270.8 as follows:

§ 19.2-270.8. Testimony of accident reconstruction expert.

In any criminal case, an accident reconstruction expert, when properly qualified, may testify as an expert witness in a court of law subject to the Rules of Supreme Court.

HOUSE BILL NO. 2136

Offered January 9, 2019
Prefiled January 8, 2019
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 19.2-270.8, relating to evidence; accident reconstruction; criminal cases.
Patron-- Thomas
Committee Referral Pending

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 19.2-270.8 as follows:

§ 19.2-270.8. Admissibility of accident reconstruction evidence.

In any criminal prosecution alleging death or serious bodily injury involving a crash of one or more motor vehicles, an expert in accident reconstruction who has performed a reconstruction of such crash and has reviewed the report of the accident investigation, with proper foundation, may give an opinion as to the specifics of the crash, including vehicle speed, vehicle speed at the time of impact, point of impact, movement of vehicles, persons, or objects, and related matters, even if the expert in accident reconstruction did not observe the vehicle, persons, or objects moving.