Virginia once again weighs ending suicide as common law crime

(The Center Square) – Virginia lawmakers are once again considering legislation that would formally remove suicide as a crime under the commonwealth’s common law, a legal status that has remained in place for centuries despite having no criminal penalty.

Under current Virginia law, suicide is not listed in the criminal code and cannot be prosecuted. However, because Virginia still recognizes English common law, suicide technically remains a crime unless the General Assembly explicitly repeals it.

House Bill 43 would abolish the common law crime of suicide and set a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. The bill also directs the Bureau of Insurance within the Virginia State Corporation Commission to study how removing the common law classification could affect insurance policies across the commonwealth.

The bill requires the bureau to submit its findings and any recommendations by Nov. 1, ...