# Virginia SJ2: Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Virginia SJ2, Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mamie E. Locke (Democratic); status adopted, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0978)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SJ2-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SJ2 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. - Status: adopted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-11-17 - Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0978) - Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (123 yes, 82 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution 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 provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Voting rights return after felony release: benefit, medium. In Virginia, people released from incarceration for a felony automatically regain all political rights, including the right to vote. No separate action to restore those rights is required. The existing ban on voting while incarcerated for that felony remains in place. - Court findings of incapacity limit voting: cost, medium. In Virginia, you cannot vote while a court with authority finds you lack the capacity to understand voting. The restriction ends when your capacity is reestablished as prescribed by law. This provision does not explain that process. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-02 | House | Agreed to by House | pass | 60 | 34 | | | 2026-01-30 | House | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | 15 | 7 | | | 2026-01-16 | Senate | Agreed to by Senate | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-01-15 | Senate | Senator McDougle, Ryan T. Amendments rejected | fail | 19 | 20 | | | 2026-01-15 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-14 | Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | 8 | 3 | 3 | ## Actions (20) - 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0978) (Governor) - 2026-04-13: Assigned Chapter 978 (Effective 7/1/2026) (House) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ2ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Agreed to by House (60-Y 34-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-02: Taken up (House) - 2026-01-30: Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 7-N) (House) - 2026-01-20: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (House) - 2026-01-16: Agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-16: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-01-15: Floor offered (Senate) - 2026-01-15: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-15: Senator McDougle, Ryan T. Amendments rejected (19-Y 20-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-15: Reading of amendments waived (Senate) - 2026-01-15: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Read first time (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 3-N 3-A) (Senate) - 2025-11-17: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (Senate) - 2025-11-17: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100361D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224875.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224874.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107846.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107845.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-01-15: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088963.HTML) - Introduced, 2025-11-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081179.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081178.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/1224875.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224874.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107846.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107845.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088963.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081179.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081178.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-SJ2-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).