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Bill > SJR2


VA SJR2

VA SJR2
Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote.


summary

Introduced
11/17/2025
In Committee
01/30/2026
Crossed Over
01/16/2026
Passed
02/02/2026
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
04/13/2026

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Regular Session

Bill 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.

AI Summary

This Joint Resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to establish the fundamental right to vote for every person who meets the basic qualifications of citizenship, age, and residency, and prohibits abridging this right by law, with two specific exceptions. These exceptions are for individuals convicted of a felony, who will lose their right to vote only during periods of incarceration for that felony, automatically regaining their voting rights upon release without needing further action, and for individuals who a court has determined lack the capacity to understand the act of voting, who will be unable to vote during that period of incapacity until their capacity is reestablished by law. This aims to simplify and clarify the restoration of voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals and those with adjudicated mental incapacity, moving away from the current requirement of gubernatorial or other authority-granted restoration of civil rights for felons and reestablishment of competency for those deemed mentally incompetent.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (20)

Last Action

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0978) (on 04/13/2026)

bill text


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