Senate 195

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

Senate Bill 195

By Senator Weld

[Introduced January 14, 2026; referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend and reenact §61-2-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to increasing the penalty for second degree murder.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

Article 2. Crimes Against the Person.

§61-2-3. Penalty for murder of second degree.

Murder of the second degree shall be punished punishable by a definite term of imprisonment in the penitentiary which is of not less than ten nor more than forty years 15 years to life imprisonment. A person imprisoned pursuant to the provisions of this section is not eligible for parole prior to having served a minimum of ten 15 years of his or her sentence or the minimum period required by the provisions of §62-12-13 of this Code code, whichever is greater.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to increase the penalty for second degree murder.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.