# Virginia SB162: Voter registration; restoration of political rights upon release from incarceration. Virginia SB162, Voter registration; restoration of political rights upon release from incarceration., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mamie E. Locke (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-22 (House concurred in Governor's recommendation (65-Y 33-N 0-A)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB162-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB162 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Voter registration; restoration of political rights upon release from incarceration. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-07 - Last action: 2026-04-22, House concurred in Governor's recommendation (65-Y 33-N 0-A) - Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 13 (322 yes, 158 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary Voter registration; restoration of political rights upon release from incarceration; certain adjudications. Provides that any person who loses his political rights as a result of a felony conviction shall be invested with those rights upon his release from incarceration and shall be entitled to register to vote. The bill directs the Department of Corrections and the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to transmit to the Department of Elections certain information for incarcerated persons with a pending date of release and requires the Department of Elections to process the information and make the necessary changes to the voter registration system to permit such persons to register to vote by the date of the person's scheduled date of release. On the date of an incarcerated person's release, the appropriate authority is required by the bill to provide a voter registration application, information on returning the form by mail or completing it by electronic means, and an official release document to serve as a safety net for voter registration. The bill also amends the language regarding adjudications of mental incompetency for purposes of being qualified to vote; a person adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote until that capacity has been reestablished. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, contingent upon the approval of the constitutional amendments at the November 3, 2026, general election. This bill is identical to HB 964. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Felony convictions no longer bar jury service: benefit, high. A felony conviction alone no longer disqualifies a person from jury service. A treason conviction remains disqualifying, and all other jury-service rules still apply. The law's January 1, 2027, start requires majority approval of the specified voting-rights constitutional amendments on November 3,… - Guardianship alone does not remove voting rights: benefit, high. A general incapacity finding in a guardianship case does not, by itself, take away voting rights. To establish voting incapacity, the court must specifically find that the person cannot understand voting and explain its factual and legal reasons. Election officials can remove registration based on… - Voter registration help when leaving incarceration: benefit, low. People leaving local or regional jails receive registration forms, mail-return instructions, and information about registering online or in person. Those released after felony incarceration also receive papers identifying the conviction and documenting their release. People leaving Virginia state c… - Voting rights return after felony incarceration: mixed, high. People sentenced to incarceration for a felony cannot register or vote while incarcerated. Upon release, they regain the political rights lost because of the conviction and can register without presenting proof of eligibility. Release papers can resolve an ineligibility flag in the registration sys… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-22 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 65 | 33 | | | 2026-04-22 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-02-27 | Senate | House substitute agreed to by Senate | pass | 20 | 19 | | | 2026-02-27 | Senate | Reconsideration of | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-02-27 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 18 | 20 | | | 2026-02-25 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 65 | 33 | | | 2026-02-20 | House | Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute | pass | 15 | 6 | | | 2026-02-13 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-02-12 | Senate | Privileges and Elections Amendment agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-11 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-11 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 5 | | | 2026-02-03 | Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendment and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 8 | 6 | | ## Actions (44) - 2026-04-22: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (65-Y 33-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-04-22: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0992) (Governor) - 2026-04-22: Reenrolled bill text (SB162ER2) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Approved by Governor-Chapter 992 (Effective - see bill) (Governor) - 2026-04-22: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-04-22: Governor's recommendation adopted (Governor) - 2026-04-11: Governor's recommendation received by Senate (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB162) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB162ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB162) (Senate) - 2026-02-27: House substitute agreed to by Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Reconsideration of (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-27: House substitute rejected by Senate (18-Y 20-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Passed House with substitute (65-Y 33-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-25: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2026-02-25: committee substitute agreed to (House) - 2026-02-25: Read third time (House) - 2026-02-24: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-20: Committee substitute printed 26107718D-H1 (House) - 2026-02-20: House committee offered (House) - 2026-02-20: Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (15-Y 6-N) (House) - 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (House) - 2026-02-18: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-18: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-02-13: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Privileges and Elections Amendment agreed to (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendment and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB162) (Senate) - 2026-01-07: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (Senate) - 2026-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100690D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224979.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224978.PDF) - Reenrolled, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220452.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220451.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219213.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219212.PDF) - Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219209.HTML) - Enrolled, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188552.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188551.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171199.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171211.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171210.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171198.PDF) - Engrossed, 2026-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139688.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139687.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115860.HTML) - Amendment, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1114912.HTML) - Introduced, 2026-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083595.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083594.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224979.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224978.PDF) - [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220452.HTML) - [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220451.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219213.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219212.PDF) - [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219209.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188552.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188551.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171199.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171211.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171210.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171198.PDF) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139688.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139687.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115860.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1114912.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083595.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083594.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [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-SB162-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).