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Senate narrows access to video testimony for child witnesses, adopts moderate-trauma standard
Summary
After multi-year committee work, the Virginia Senate passed House Bill 17 28 with amendments that require a higher showing ("moderate trauma") supported by expert testimony and a 14-day pre-trial motion before a judge may allow a child to testify by secure video to protect confrontation rights.
The Virginia Senate on Feb. 14 passed House Bill 17 28, a measure that updates when a child victim or witness may testify by secure two-way video instead of appearing live in court.
Senator Sarravel, who carried the motion on the floor, said the measure reflects years of work to balance victims' trauma and defendants' constitutional confrontation rights. She described the committee amendments adopted on the floor as narrowing the standard from the House version and adding procedural safeguards.
The committee and floor amendments require three principal elements for a judge to allow video…
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