# Virginia SB963: Discovery materials or evidence; allows accused to request the Commonwealth to copy or photograph. Virginia SB963, Discovery materials or evidence; allows accused to request the Commonwealth to copy or photograph., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-05-02 (Vetoed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB963-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB963 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Discovery materials or evidence; allows accused to request the Commonwealth to copy or photograph. - Status: to governor - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-06 - Last action: 2025-05-02, Vetoed by Governor - Sponsor: Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (222 yes, 40 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Discovery. Requires the Commonwealth, upon request by the accused or his counsel to copy or photograph any discovery materials or evidence the accused is permitted to inspect and review, including relevant police reports, criminal records, and body-worn camera footage, and requires the Commonwealth to provide such copies or photographs, electronically or otherwise, to the accused or his counsel, unless such material is prohibited from being distributed by law or impossible to provide by electronic means. The bill requires the attorney for the Commonwealth in any district court to provide to counsel of record for the accused, if requested, by electronic means a copy of any police report at least 10 days prior to the date the case is set for trial or preliminary hearing, provided that counsel of record agrees to any reasonable redaction or restricted dissemination as requested by the attorney for the Commonwealth. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission. This bill incorporates SB 1355 and is identical to HB 1630. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-02 | Senate | Senate rejected Governor's recommendation | fail | 19 | 21 | | | 2025-02-13 | House | Passed House | pass | 91 | 6 | | | 2025-02-10 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 20 | 2 | | | 2025-02-03 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 33 | 6 | | | 2025-01-30 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | 1 | | 2025-01-29 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 11 | 2 | 1 | | 2025-01-27 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 3 | 2 | ## Actions (34) - 2025-05-02: Vetoed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-04-02: Senate rejected Governor's recommendation (19-Y 21-N) (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 2, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-04-02: Communicated to Governor (Senate) - 2025-03-24: Governor's recommendation received by Senate (Governor) - 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB963) (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB963ER) (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Enrolled (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-13: Passed House (91-Y 6-N) (House) - 2025-02-13: Read third time (House) - 2025-02-12: Read second time (House) - 2025-02-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB963) (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Reported from Courts of Justice (20-Y 2-N) (House) - 2025-02-06: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House) - 2025-02-06: Read first time (House) - 2025-02-06: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2025-02-03: Read third time and passed Senate (33-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Read second time (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Reading of substitute waived (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 1-A) (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 2-N 1-A) (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Committee substitute printed 25106068D-S1 (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 3-N 2-A) (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Incorporates SB1355(Srinivasan) (Senate) - 2025-01-06: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2025-01-06: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25101031D (Senate) ## Bill text - Veto Explanation, 2025-05-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1080129.HTML) - Gov Recommendation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073995.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051497.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051496.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029970.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029969.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014626.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014624.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1080129.HTML) - [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073995.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051497.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051496.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029970.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1029969.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014626.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014624.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB963-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).