Bill Amendment: VA HB1515 | 2024 | Regular Session
Bill Title: Discovery; electronic means.
Status: 2024-04-17 - House sustained Governor's veto [HB1515 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HB1515-Governor_s_veto_explanation.html
GOVERNOR'S VETO
Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1515, which mandates Commonwealth Attorneys to provide discovery material electronically.
While the bill aims to establish a commendable goal of a universal statewide electronic discovery system, the current state of information technology infrastructure across the Commonwealth significantly challenges achieving this objective.
The Commonwealth should first coordinate and fund information technology solutions for Commonwealth Attorneys' offices. Technology requirements and financial support have traditionally been a local government concern, resulting in a balkanized patchwork of incompatible information technology systems across offices.
To provide context, some offices still rely on typewriters due to limited digital infrastructure, while others struggle with digital file management and lack server space and personnel to handle electronic data. The best course of action would be first to investigate and understand the scope of the difficulties before imposing a statewide electronic discovery mandate.
The proposal requires the Commonwealth to operate without first understanding the information technology infrastructure and necessary resources, creating an enormous unfunded mandate for localities.
Accordingly, I veto this bill.
