SB 425 West Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Requiring minimum time be served for first degree murder before parole eligibility

This bill changes the parole rules for individuals convicted of first-degree murder who receive a life sentence with parole eligibility ("life with mercy"). It requires them to serve a minimum of 30 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole. The law directly affects those sentenced under West Virginia Code §61-2-2 for first-degree murder, specifically altering their parole timeline. This policy change eliminates early parole consideration for these offenders, mandating a 30-year minimum term before parole review.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 15, 2026 Last action Jan 15, 2026
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Total actions
3
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Jan 15, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
Jan 15, 2026
Committee
To Judiciary
upper
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

Sponsors