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West VirginiaHB 47552026 Regular SessionHouse

Adding Aggravated Vehicular Homicide to the list of qualifying offenses

Sponsored By: Bill Ridenour (Republican)

Signed by Governor

§61-11-18

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Tougher repeat-offender penalties, vehicular homicide included

The law strengthens West Virginia’s enhanced sentencing for qualifying crimes. If a person convicted of a qualifying offense has a prior U.S. conviction punishable by imprisonment, courts add five years to a fixed-term sentence or double the minimum on an indeterminate sentence. A person convicted again of first- or second-degree murder or first-degree sexual assault must get life in prison without parole. A person with two prior U.S. convictions with the same or very similar elements gets life in prison; priors from the same event count as one, and the most recent prior is not counted if release was over 20 years before the current conduct. Aggravated vehicular homicide now counts as a qualifying offense that can trigger these tougher penalties.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Bill Ridenour

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Jim Butler

    Republican • House

  • Joe Funkhouser

    Republican • House

  • Rick Hillenbrand

    Republican • House

  • Laura Kimble

    Republican • House

  • Kump

    Affiliation unavailable

  • Phil Mallow

    Republican • House

  • Carl Martin

    Republican • House

  • Ian T. Masters

    Republican • House

  • Bryan Ward

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 214 • No: 8

House vote • 3/14/2026

House concurred in Senate amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 688)

Yes: 85 • No: 8

Senate vote • 3/12/2026

Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 488)

Yes: 34 • No: 0

House vote • 2/9/2026

Passed House (Roll No. 59)

Yes: 95 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026

    4/1/2026House

  2. To Governor 3/25/2026

    3/25/2026House

  3. House received Senate message

    3/14/2026House

  4. House concurred in Senate amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 688)

    3/14/2026House

  5. Communicated to Senate

    3/14/2026House

  6. Completed legislative action

    3/14/2026House

  7. House Message received

    3/14/2026Senate

  8. To Governor 3/25/2026 - Senate Journal

    3/14/2026Senate

  9. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - Senate Journal

    3/14/2026Senate

  10. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - House Journal

    3/14/2026House

  11. On 3rd reading

    3/12/2026Senate

  12. Read 3rd time

    3/12/2026Senate

  13. Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 488)

    3/12/2026Senate

  14. Senate requests House to concur

    3/12/2026Senate

  15. On 2nd reading

    3/11/2026Senate

  16. Read 2nd time

    3/11/2026Senate

  17. Reported do pass, with title amendment

    3/10/2026Senate

  18. Immediate consideration

    3/10/2026Senate

  19. Read 1st time

    3/10/2026Senate

  20. Introduced in Senate

    2/10/2026Senate

  21. To Judiciary

    2/10/2026Senate

  22. To Judiciary

    2/10/2026Senate

  23. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

    2/9/2026House

  24. Read 3rd time

    2/9/2026House

  25. Passed House (Roll No. 59)

    2/9/2026House

Bill Text

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