West Virginia 2022 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 3 R · 1 D cosponsors

SB 488 — Eliminating restrictions on voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals

Last action — Referred to Rules on 2nd reading

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2022 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

29 added · 36 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of Bill SB 488 includes changes that focus on expanding voting rights for individuals who have been incarcerated. It now emphasizes restoring voting eligibility immediately upon release from a felony sentence, rather than imposing restrictions that would last through probation or parole. This change matters because it acknowledges the importance of reintegrating formerly incarcerated individuals into society and ensuring their participation in the democratic process as soon as they are no longer serving their sentences.

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NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS Introduced Version « Senate Bill 488 History OTHER VERSIONS  —  Committee Substitute (1)  |   |  Email Key:
NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS SB488 SUB1 « Senate Bill 488 History OTHER VERSIONS  —  Introduced Version  |   |  Email Key:
Red = new code to be enacted WEST virginia Legislature regular session Introduced Senate Bill 488 By Senators Hamilton, Brown, Caputo, Grady, Plymale, Romano, Stover, Woelfel, Baldwin, Lindsay, Stollings, Takubo, and Beach [Introduced January 26, 2022;
Red = new code to be enacted WEST virginia legislature regular session Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 488 By Senators Hamilton, Brown, Caputo, Grady, Plymale, Romano, Stover, Woelfel, Baldwin, Lindsay, Stollings, Takubo, and Beach [Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary;
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary] A BILL to amend and reenact §3-2-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to formerly incarcerated individuals voting rights by eliminating restrictions to voting rights for once an individual is released from incarceration through probation, parole, or completion of a sentence.
reported on February 17, 2022]     A BILL to amend and reenact §3-2-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to voting rights of formerly incarcerated individuals;
and restoring suffrage for a person incarcerated for a felony conviction upon release.
To be qualified, a person must be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of West Virginia and of the county where he or she is applying to register, shall be at least eighteen years of age, except that a person who is at least seventeen years of age and who will be eighteen years of age by the time of the next ensuing general election may also be permitted to register, and shall not be otherwise legally disqualified:
To be qualified, a person must be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of West Virginia and of the county where he or she is applying to register, shall be at least 18 years of age, except that a person who is at least 17 years of age and who will be 18 years of age by the time of the next ensuing general election may also be permitted to register, and shall not be otherwise legally disqualified:
Provided, That a registered voter who has not reached eighteen years of age may vote both partisan and nonpartisan ballots in a federal, state, county, municipal or special primary election if he or she will be eighteen years of age by the time of the corresponding general election.
Provided, That a registered voter who has not reached 18 years of age may vote both partisan and nonpartisan ballots in a federal, state, county, municipal, or special primary election if he or she will be 18 years of age by the time of the corresponding general election.
(b) Any person who has been convicted of a felony, treason or bribery in an election, under either state or federal law, is disqualified and is not eligible to register or to continue to be registered to vote while serving his or her sentence, including any period of incarceration.
(b) Any person who has been convicted of a felony, treason, or bribery in an election, under either state or federal law, is disqualified and is not eligible to register or to continue to be registered to vote while serving his or her a sentence, including any period of incarceration.
probation or parole related thereto Upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction either through pardon, parole, probation, or completion of sentence without further action required of him or her, shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote.
probation or parole related thereto A person’s right to register to vote is automatically restored upon his or her release from incarceration for such felony conviction, whether or not the person is on probation, parole, or supervised release.
  NOTE:
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The purpose of this bill is to restore voting rights to formerly convicted voters upon release from incarceration in all circumstances.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
Bill Status  |  Bill Tracking  |  Legacy WV Code  |  Bulletin Board  |  District Maps  |  Senate Roster  |  House Roster  |  Live  |  Blog  |  Jobs  |  Links  |  Home This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information.
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Action History

  1. Referred to Rules on 2nd reading

  2. Motion to refer to Rules adopted

  3. On 2nd reading

  4. Read 1st time

  5. On 1st reading

  6. Committee substitute reported

  7. To Judiciary

  8. Introduced in Senate

  9. To Judiciary

  10. Filed for introduction

Sponsors

  • Tom Takubo · Cosponsor
  • Beach · Cosponsor
  • Stollings · Cosponsor
  • Lindsay · Cosponsor
  • Baldwin · Cosponsor
  • Mike Woelfel · Cosponsor
  • Stover · Cosponsor
  • Romano · Cosponsor
  • Plymale · Cosponsor
  • Amy Grady · Cosponsor
  • Caputo · Cosponsor
  • Brown · Cosponsor
  • Bill Hamilton · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 12 co-sponsors · 139 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (12)

Not signed on (139)

139 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

civil-rights elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 488?
SB 488 is sponsored by Tom Takubo (Republican), Beach, Stollings, Lindsay, Baldwin, Mike Woelfel (Democrat), Stover, Romano, Plymale, Amy Grady (Republican), Caputo, Brown, and Bill Hamilton (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 488?
This bill died with 2022 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 488?
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