# Virginia HJ2: Constitutional amendment; qualifications of voters, right to vote, persons not entitled to vote.

Virginia HJ2, Constitutional amendment; qualifications of voters, right to vote, persons not entitled to vote., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic); status adopted, last action 2025-03-24 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0601)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HJ2-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HJ2
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Constitutional amendment; qualifications of voters, right to vote, persons not entitled to vote.
- Status: adopted
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2023-11-20
- Last action: 2025-03-24, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0601)
- Sponsor: Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 8 (238 yes, 173 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Constitutional amendment (first reference); qualifications of voters; right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution of Virginia shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him, such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution of Virginia provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-01-31 | Senate | Agreed to by Senate | pass | 21 | 18 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Reading waived Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-28 | Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | 8 | 7 |   |
| 2025-01-14 | House | Motion to pass by Delegate Cherry Amendment #1 agreed to | pass | 52 | 47 |   |
| 2025-01-14 | House | Motion to pass by Delegate Cherry Amendments #2, #3 agreed to | pass | 51 | 48 |   |
| 2025-01-14 | House | Agreed to by House | pass | 55 | 44 |   |
| 2024-11-13 | House | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | 12 | 9 |   |
| 2024-02-09 | House | Continued to 2025 in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |

## Actions (28)

- 2025-03-24: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0601) (Governor)
- 2025-03-24: Assigned Chapter 601 (Effective 07/01/25) (House)
- 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ2ER) (House)
- 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-01-31: Agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Reading waived Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-28: Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 7-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Laid on Clerk's Desk (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Received (Senate)
- 2025-01-14: Agreed to by House (55-Y 44-N) (House)
- 2025-01-14: Engrossed by House (House)
- 2025-01-14: Delegate Cherry Amendments #2, #3 passed by (House)
- 2025-01-14: Motion to pass by Delegate Cherry Amendments #2, #3 agreed to (51-Y 48-N) (House)
- 2025-01-14: Delegate Cherry Amendment #1 passed by (House)
- 2025-01-14: Motion to pass by Delegate Cherry Amendment #1 agreed to (52-Y 47-N) (House)
- 2025-01-14: Taken up (House)
- 2025-01-13: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2024-11-13: Reported from Privileges and Elections (12-Y 9-N) (House)
- 2024-02-09: Continued to 2025 in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote) (House)
- 2023-11-20: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (House)
- 2023-11-20: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24101042D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1078102.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1078101.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069265.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069264.PDF)
- Amendment, 2025-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1019980.HTML)
- Introduced, 2024-02-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1006551.HTM), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1005959.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1078102.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1078101.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069265.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1069264.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1019980.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1006551.HTM)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1005959.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HJ2-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).