Virginia’s Senate Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee has given approval to bipartisan legislation that would allow sentence modifications for individuals convicted of certain marijuana-related felonies before the state legalized cannabis.
The committee voted 10 to 5 today to approve House Bill 2555, a measure that has already been given approval by the full House of Delegates by a vote of 51 to 44.
If enacted into law, HB 2555 would establish a process for individuals still incarcerated or under community supervision for felony marijuana offenses committed before July 1, 2021, to receive an automatic hearing to reconsider their sentences. If the measure is approved by the Senate, it will be sent to Governor Glenn Youngkin, who has not yet given a position on the bill.
Under the proposed law, Virginia circuit courts must schedule hearings by January 1, 2026, for individuals who qualify. Judges will be required to reduce, vacate, or modify sentences—potentially leading to time served—unless prosecutors prove that doing so would not be in the public interest. Those eligible for sentence modification will also have access to legal counsel if they were previously deemed indigent.
The full one-page text of the bill can be found here.
