(SB1191)

GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto Senate Bill 1191, which authorizes the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to disseminate data on individuals who have been charged, but not convicted, of criminal offenses punishable by incarceration.

The presumption of innocence is a bedrock principle of our justice system. This legislation undermines that principle by allowing sensitive data about individuals who have merely been accused of a crime to be shared across systems. These individuals have not been found guilty in a court of law, yet their personal information could become part of a government-controlled data network, raising serious concerns about privacy, fairness, and government overreach.

Even with assurances that data will be de-identified, the scope of this legislation risks eroding public trust and blurring the line between data for research and data for surveillance. Virginians should never have to fear that being charged with an offense—regardless of the outcome—could follow them indefinitely through state databases. Protecting civil liberties requires more than good intentions; it demands clear limits, especially when the rights of the accused are on the line.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.