Appointment of counsel for accused; felonies punishable by mandatory minimum term of confinement.
Summary
Appointment of counsel for accused; felonies punishable by a mandatory minimum term of confinement for life. Provides that in any case in which an indigent defendant is charged with any felony punishable by a mandatory minimum term of confinement for life, the court shall appoint to represent the defendant two competent, qualified, and experienced attorneys, one of whom shall be from the public defender office if the defendant is charged in a jurisdiction in which a public defender office is established. The bill preserves the requirement under current law for the court to appoint two such attorneys in cases in which an indigent defendant is charged with a Class 1 felony.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 8, 2025
Signed Mar 19, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
Enrolled
→
Chaptered
·
2 edits
MINOR
This bill formally enacts HB 2322 into law by updating the session date and adding the official chapter number. The substantive text of the act, which amends the law regarding the appointment of counsel for felony cases involving mandatory life sentences, remains unchanged.
TECHNICAL
Updated the session header from the generic '2025 SESSION' to the specific '2025 SESSION' and added the official chapter designation 'CHAPTER 170' to the act title.
Added the specific approval date of March 19, 2025, to the act's header.
Floor votes · Senate Feb 19, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 4, 2025
How they voted
40–0
Passed
Total votes 40
Feb 19, 2025
D
Democratic21
100% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
49
Key actions
17
Committee
14
Mar 19, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 170 (Effective 07/01/25)
executive
Mar 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2322ER)
lower
Feb 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Conference report agreed to by House (98-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 22, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Amended by conference committee
legislature
Feb 20, 2025
Committee
Senate requested conference committee
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with substitute (39-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Feb 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 5, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
upper
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House (99-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Appropriations (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 27, 2025
Committee
Assigned Approps sub: General Government and Capital Outlay
lower
Jan 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 18, 2025
Committee
Assigned Courts sub: Criminal
lower
Jan 8, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Will Davis
RRepublican
Co
David Owen
RRepublican
Co
Ian Lovejoy
RRepublican
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