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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

  • Ward

    Affiliation unavailable

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. Chapter 104, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

    8/13/2026House

  2. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026

    4/1/2026House

  3. To Governor 3/25/2026

    3/25/2026House

  4. House received Senate message

    3/14/2026House

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

    3/14/2026House

  6. Communicated to Senate

    3/14/2026House

  7. Completed legislative action

    3/14/2026House

  8. House Message received

    3/14/2026Senate

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

    3/14/2026Senate

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

    3/14/2026Senate

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

    3/14/2026House

  12. On 3rd reading

    3/12/2026Senate

  13. Read 3rd time

    3/12/2026Senate

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

    3/12/2026Senate

  15. Senate requests House to concur

    3/12/2026Senate

  16. On 2nd reading

    3/11/2026Senate

  17. Read 2nd time

    3/11/2026Senate

  18. Reported do pass, with title amendment

    3/10/2026Senate

  19. Immediate consideration

    3/10/2026Senate

  20. Read 1st time

    3/10/2026Senate

  21. Introduced in Senate

    2/10/2026Senate

  22. To Judiciary

    2/10/2026Senate

  23. To Judiciary

    2/10/2026Senate

  24. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

    2/9/2026House

  25. Read 3rd time

    2/9/2026House

Bill Text

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