VirginiaSB602026 Regular SessionSenate

Virginia Parole Board; powers and duties, juvenile offenders, parole procedures and considerations.

Sponsored By: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Virginia Parole Board; powers and duties; juvenile offenders; parole procedures and considerations. Increases the members of the Virginia Parole Board (the Board) from up to five to at least 11 members, five of whom shall be appointed by the Governor within 60 days of inauguration, three of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates within 60 days of a new House being sworn in during a Senate election year, and three of whom shall be appointed by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules within 60 days of a new Senate being sworn in after an election, and all of whom shall be subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, if in session when such appointment is made, and if not in session, then at its next succeeding session. The bill specifies that all members of the Board shall have significant professional experience working in criminal law, corrections, reentry and community services, or victim services and that the Board members appointed by the Governor shall include (i) an attorney with significant experience in criminal prosecution; (ii) an attorney with significant experience in criminal defense; (iii) a qualified mental health professional with relevant background in adolescent development, trauma responses, psychology, and decision-making; and (iv) a representative of a crime victims organization or a victim of crime. These provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2028. The bill also requires the Board to provide a meaningful opportunity for release to certain juvenile offenders eligible for parole and specifies various factors the Board shall give substantial weight to when making a determination on whether to grant parole to such juvenile offender. The bill allows a juvenile offender to request for reconsideration or appeal of a decision by the Board not to grant parole based on (a) the Board's failure to give substantial weight to such juvenile offender's age and its related mitigating circumstances as required by the bill or (b) the Board's overreliance on static factors such as the nature and circumstances of the offense and failure to ground its decision in evidence of maturity, rehabilitation, and a lack of present danger to public safety. The bill requires the Board to provide individualized reasons for the grant or denial of parole upon reconsideration or appeal. The bill also requires that if parole is denied for any such juvenile offender, each Board member shall identify his reasoning for such decision at the time such member's vote is cast, including any youth-related factor and evidence of maturity and rehabilitation that was considered. The bill requires that the Board provide to such prisoner for whom parole is denied recommendations to demonstrate commitment to rehabilitation and at the next hearing, the Board is required to consider whether the prisoner has followed such recommendations. The bill also requires the Board to annually review the cases of such juvenile offenders eligible for parole. This bill is identical to HB 318.

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Parole path for those sentenced as juveniles

People who committed felonies as juveniles become eligible for parole after serving at least 20 years. This applies to life sentences or to active sentences that total more than 20 years. The Board must ensure a real chance for release and hold a live interview at least once a year for these cases. The Board must give strong weight to youth and change: maturity, rehab and school programs, work, reentry plans, peer pressure, family trauma, and capacity to change. The Board cannot treat age at the time of the crime as a reason to deny parole. If parole is denied, each member must state their reasons and the Board must give steps to take; it checks those steps at the next hearing. A juvenile offender can ask for reconsideration or appeal if the Board ignored youth factors or relied only on the crime.

More open, public parole decisions

By the 15th of each month, the Board publishes a list of last month’s parole actions. It shows each person’s name, offense, sentence, time served, the decision, the reasons, and how each member voted. Parole grants appear after victims and the local attorney are notified. Each year the Board also publishes all monthly lists and a summary with totals and common reasons. Final votes on discretionary parole happen in a public meeting. The prisoner or lawyer may attend, and victims may attend or send statements. At least three members must be present, and each member explains their vote. When parole is denied, the Board gives individualized written reasons and steps toward rehabilitation.

New Virginia Parole Board and rules

The law creates a five-member Virginia Parole Board. The Governor appoints members, and the General Assembly confirms them when in session. At least one member represents crime victims or is a victim. Members serve four-year terms, serve at the Governor’s pleasure, and vacancies must be filled within 60 days. This structure takes effect July 1, 2028. The Board writes and publishes parole rules with the Governor’s approval. The rules must weigh rehabilitation, education and job progress, prosocial behavior, and family and community supports. The Board may release eligible felony prisoners on parole when it finds them suitable. If the Governor asks, the Board investigates clemency requests and reports back.

Parole release timing, notices, and violations

When the Board grants parole or conditional release, it tells the Department of Corrections. The department sets the release date at least 30 business days later, except it may release earlier for certain conditional releases. If the inmate was sentenced to 10 or more years, or is on conditional release, the Board must notify the local Commonwealth’s attorney at least 21 business days before release. If death is imminent, it may notify by phone or other electronic means. If a parolee was previously committed to the state behavioral health department under Chapter 9, parole must require following the treatment plan. The Board can revoke parole or require community-based corrections if rules are broken or the person is unfit. The Board may give a final discharge when it is not harmful to society. Early discharges before the parole term ends need a majority vote. Each year the Board publishes a discharge report with names, offenses, sentences, time on parole, reasons, and how each member voted.

Parole rules for older jury cases

Virginia keeps the general ban on parole for felonies committed on or after January 1, 1995, except for limited cases in the law. A special group still gets parole review: people sentenced by a jury before June 9, 2000, for a felony committed on or after January 1, 1995, who were still in prison on July 1, 2020, and whose crimes are not Class 1 felonies or certain listed sex crimes against minors. The Board must set consideration procedures consistent with standard reviews. For those who met the criteria on July 1, 2020, the law required interviews to be scheduled by July 1, 2021, with extensions for reasonable cause.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Mamie E. Locke

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 284 • No: 135

Senate vote 4/22/2026

Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation

Yes: 21 • No: 18

House vote 4/22/2026

House concurred in Governor's recommendation

Yes: 66 • No: 31

Senate vote 2/27/2026

House substitute agreed to by Senate

Yes: 20 • No: 19

House vote 2/25/2026

Passed House with substitute

Yes: 69 • No: 29

House vote 2/20/2026

Reported from Public Safety with substitute

Yes: 17 • No: 3

House vote 2/20/2026

Reported from Public Safety with substitute

Yes: 13 • No: 4

Senate vote 2/11/2026

Read third time and passed Senate

Yes: 20 • No: 19

Senate vote 2/10/2026

Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute rejected

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/10/2026

Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/9/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/9/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/5/2026

Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute

Yes: 10 • No: 5

Senate vote 1/23/2026

Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 8 • No: 7

Actions Timeline

  1. House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 31-N 0-A)

    4/22/2026House
  2. Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

    4/22/2026Senate
  3. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0984)

    4/22/2026Governor
  4. Reenrolled bill text (SB60ER2)

    4/22/2026Senate
  5. Reenrolled

    4/22/2026Senate
  6. Approved by Governor-Chapter 984 (Effective - see bill)

    4/22/2026Governor
  7. Signed by President

    4/22/2026Senate
  8. Signed by Speaker

    4/22/2026House
  9. Governor's recommendation adopted

    4/22/2026Governor
  10. Governor's recommendation received by Senate

    4/11/2026Governor
  11. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/10/2026Governor
  12. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    3/10/2026Senate
  13. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB60)

    3/5/2026Senate
  14. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB60ER)

    3/4/2026Senate
  15. Enrolled

    3/4/2026Senate
  16. Signed by President

    3/4/2026Senate
  17. Signed by Speaker

    3/4/2026House
  18. House substitute agreed to by Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A)

    2/27/2026Senate
  19. Passed House with substitute (69-Y 29-N 0-A)

    2/25/2026House
  20. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    2/25/2026House
  21. committee substitute agreed to

    2/25/2026House
  22. Read third time

    2/25/2026House
  23. Read second time

    2/24/2026House
  24. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB60)

    2/23/2026Senate
  25. Reported from Public Safety with substitute (17-Y 3-N)

    2/20/2026House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation