BREAKING: Kansas Votes to End the Death Penalty

January 29th, 2010 by Courtney

Amazing news out of Kansas today:

TOPEKA – The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill Friday that would abolish the state’s death penalty for crimes committed after July 1.

By a vote of 7-4, the bill now goes to the full Senate for discussion.

Senators had considered two bills: Senate Bill 208, which was debated last year, and Senate Bill 375, which replaces the death penalty with the crime of aggravated murder. The new crime comes with a mandatory life without parole sentence.

The committee tabled the first bill and moved forward Senate Bill 375.

Voting yes were Republican senators Dwayne Umbarger, Thayer; John Vratil, Leawood; Mary Pilcher Cook, Shawnee; Les Donovan, Wichita; Chairman Tim Owens, Overland Park, and Democratic senators Laura Kelly, Topeka and David Haley, Kansas City, Kan.

UPDATED: Senate Judiciary panel passes bill to eliminate the death penalty | Wichitopekington | Wichita Eagle Blogs

kansas, death penalty, senate, judiciary committee, capital punishment, abolition, death sentence, death row, execution

Repeal the Death Penalty in South Dakota Count on my neighbor Representative Gerald Lange (D-8/Madison) to...
The Dying Death Penalty in Maryland The death penalty, in Maryland and elsewhere, is dying....
New Hampshire Supreme Court Reviews Death Penalty Case This seems like an awful lot of effort and tax...
Round-up from the Feeds: Is the Death Penalty Dying? A round-up of prison-related links from feeds I subscribe to:Is...
Governor O’Malley and the Death Penalty Awesome editorial on Maryland Governor O’Malley’s stance on capital punishment....