Codifying common-law definition of involuntary manslaughter

Senate Bill 611 clarifies the legal definition of involuntary manslaughter in West Virginia by codifying the common-law standard. It specifies that a conviction requires the defendant’s act to directly and proximately cause the death of another, applying when someone unintentionally causes death while committing a minor unlawful act (not a felony) or a lawful act done unlawfully. The bill does not change penalties - convictions remain misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. This change aims to provide clearer legal standards for prosecutors and courts handling such cases.