Senate committee advances bill to align state law with proposed amendment restoring voting rights on release from incarceration

Senators in a Senate of Virginia committee voted to advance SB162, enabling legislation tied to a constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting eligibility when people are released from incarceration.

Sponsor Senator Locke said the bill defines “incarceration” and “release” for the purposes of the amendment, excludes transfers to out-of-state or federal detention from counting as a release, and requires state police, the Department of Corrections and local jail authorities to transmit incarceration and release data to the Department of Elections so voter rolls can be updated. “It defines incarceration to mean confinement inside the physical boundaries of a state correctional facility or local correctional facility,” Locke said.

The bill drew support from voting-rights advocates. Tram Nguyen of New Virginia Majority thanked the sponsor and said she was “very excited to see this finally come to light.” Todd Park of the Virginia Education Association and Jane Newell of the League of Women Voters of Virginia also testified in favor, arguing that automatic eligibility on release would bolster civic engagement and support rehabilitation.

An online commenter, Claire Miller of Albemarle County, opposed the bill on the grounds that it does not require restoration of court-ordered financial obligations to victims before restoring voting rights. “I would think that before their rights to vote are restored, they should have to make all the restoration that the court has ordered,” Miller said.

After brief committee discussion, the panel voted to advance SB162 to the finance docket; the clerk read the recorded vote as eight in favor and six recorded (as read by the clerk). The committee also adopted a line amendment clarifying the bill’s effective date provisions.

The bill is now scheduled for further consideration in the finance committee.