State Sen. Jennifer D. Carroll Foy has introduced legislation seeking to standardize the electronic transfer of discovery materials from prosecutors to defense attorneys in Virginia criminal cases, according to the Virginia State Senate.
The measure, SB24, was introduced Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session. It is formally described as: “Discovery; methods of delivery, accused may request of any materials or evidence, etc., report.”
Below is a summary based on the final bill language, with some interpretation provided for clarification.
This proposal would require that in Virginia criminal matters, prosecutors deliver discovery documents to defense counsel by electronic means—like email, flash drives, or file-sharing platforms—unless physical copies are specifically requested, the law prohibits such distribution, or electronic transmission cannot be done. The bill defines “electronic means,” directs that hard copies are to be provided if electronic delivery cannot be executed and is not barred, and requires that for district court prosecutions led by the Commonwealth’s attorney, police reports be shared at least 10 days before trial or a preliminary hearing, with allowable redactions. It also reiterates the ongoing obligation to continue disclosure as outlined in existing court rules and permits courts to impose remedies for failure to comply.
Sen. Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (Democrat-33rd District) is the sole patron of this bill.
Since this session began, Carroll Foy has also sponsored 11 additional pieces of legislation.
Carroll Foy is a graduate of Virginia Military Institute, receiving her BA in 2003, and later completed a JD at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2010.
A member of the Democratic Party, Carroll Foy was elected to represent Virginia’s 33rd Senate district in 2024, succeeding Jennifer Boysko.
In Virginia, the process for enacting legislation begins with the introduction of a bill in either the House of Delegates or Senate. The bill receives committee assignment, is reviewed and possibly amended, and if it passes committee is sent to the full chamber for debate and voting. After passage by both the House and Senate, it is sent to the governor for signing, veto, or becomes law without signature. The General Assembly convenes for its regular annual session on the second Monday in January, during which legislators propose hundreds of bills, though only a share make it into law.
| Legislative Session | Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB24 | 01/14/2026 | Discovery; methods of delivery, accused may request of any materials or evidence, etc., report. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy and Jessica L. Anderson | SB25 | 01/14/2026 | Offshore wind industry; workforce development. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB26 | 01/14/2026 | Land development; definitions, solar canopies in surface parking areas, delayed effective date. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy, Russet Perry, Kannan Srinivasan, Saddam Azlan Salim, and Scott A. Surovell | SB27 | 01/14/2026 | Firearm industry members; definitions, standards of responsible conduct, civil liability. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB28 | 01/14/2026 | Overtime for certain employees; pay for domestic workers, delayed effective date. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy and Saddam Azlan Salim | SB121 | 01/14/2026 | Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees, temporary foreign workers. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy, Jeremy S. McPike, and Scott A. Surovell | SB361 | 01/14/2026 | Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs & devices, including over-the-counter. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy and Saddam Azlan Salim | SB364 | 01/14/2026 | Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center; work group to develop policy, etc., to establish. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB369 | 01/14/2026 | Civil actions; assignment as business litigation action, requirements, delayed effective date. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy, Barbara A. Favola, Jeremy S. McPike, and Scott A. Surovell | SB596 | 01/14/2026 | Contraception; definitions, establishes right to obtain, applicability, enforcement. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB630 | 01/14/2026 | Health insurance; tobacco surcharge. |
| 2026 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB721 | 01/14/2026 | Maternal Health Monitoring Pilot Program; established, report. |
| 2025 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy, Ghazala F. Hashmi, Angelia Williams Graves, and Kannan Srinivasan | SB780 | 01/08/2025 | Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices. |
| 2025 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB781 | 01/08/2025 | Retired or former law-enforcement officers; publication of personal information. |
| 2025 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB847 | 01/08/2025 | Reckless driving; improper driving as a lesser included offense. |
| 2025 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB897 | 01/08/2025 | Overtime for certain employees; domestic service workers and live-in domestic workers. |
| 2025 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB962 | 01/08/2025 | Va. Public Procurement Act; additional public works contract requirements. |
| 2025 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy, Barbara A. Favola, Christie New Craig, and Kannan Srinivasan | SB963 | 01/08/2025 | Discovery materials or evidence; allows accused to request the Commonwealth to copy or photograph. |
| 2025 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB965 | 01/08/2025 | District courts; recording of proceedings. |
| 2025 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB966 | 01/08/2025 | Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission; increase membership. |
| 2025 | Jennifer D. Carroll Foy | SB968 | 01/08/2025 | School boards; support services personnel, annual collection of certain staffing data required. |
Data for this article comes from the Virginia State Senate. The original data set is available here.
