Bill > HB4210

This bill amends West Virginia law to prevent juveniles under 18 years old from being sentenced to life imprisonment without parole if convicted of first-degree murder, and it establishes specific considerations for courts when sentencing juveniles who have been tried and convicted as adults. For those convicted of offenses punishable by life imprisonment, the bill prohibits a life sentence without parole if the individual was under 18 at the time of the offense, and it outlines parole eligibility after serving 15 years for certain offenses committed as a juvenile. Furthermore, when sentencing a juvenile tried as an adult, courts must consider a range of mitigating factors, including their age, immaturity, home environment, capacity for rehabilitation, and the results of a comprehensive mental health evaluation, which itself must include specific components like family and developmental history. The bill also mandates that parole boards provide a meaningful opportunity for release to individuals convicted as juveniles, considering their diminished culpability, the characteristics of youth, and their growth and maturity during incarceration, in addition to other factors like educational and rehabilitative program participation and evidence of remorse.