2012 — Proposed or passed legislation (* indicates states with bills to abolish death penalty)
State | |
---|---|
Alabama* | |
Description | SB 68 and HB 116 would impose a moratorium on executions |
Satus | None passed in 2012. |
California* | |
Description | 1. A coalition called Taxpayers for Justice has begun collecting signatures to place a death penalty repeal initiative on the ballot in November 2012. The initiative calls for using money saved by abolition for solving cold cases and assisting victims families. |
Satus | 1. Defeated. Almost 800,000 signatures were collected, more than enough to qualify for the ballot in Nov. On April 23, all counties certified that enough valid signatures had been submitted, meaning the initiative will appear on the ballot. The initiative was defeated in the general election on Nov. 6, 2012 by a narrow margin 53%-47%. 2. The Senate Public Safety Committee rejected the bills to limit capital appeals. Defeated. |
Connecticut* | |
Description | Abolition bill introduced in 2012. Replaces death penalty with a sentence of life without parole for future cases. |
Satus | Approved for consideration on Feb. 22 by the Assembly’s Judiciary Com. (23 – 15). On March 21, the Judiciary Committee passed (24 – 19) the repeal bill. The bill will now move on to votes in the Senate and House. PASSED IN SENATE ON APRIL 5 (20 – 16). BILL AMENDED TO PROVIDE SPECIAL CONFINEMENT CONDITIONS FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF CAPITAL-LEVEL CRIMES. PASSED THE HOUSE (86 – 62) ON April 11. GOVERNOR SIGNED BILL on April 25. |
Florida* | |
Description | 1. SB 772, SB 352, and HB 29 would require unanimity for a jury to recommend a death sentence |
Satus | Neither passed in 2012. |
Georgia* | |
Description | SB 342 would repeal the death penalty |
Satus | Neither passed in 2012. |
Idaho | |
Description | Bill to limit ramifications for health care officials involved in executions |
Satus | Approved by Senate Judic. & Rules Com. |
Illinois | |
Description | Rep. Dennis Reboletti introduced a bill to reinstate the death penalty. |
Satus | Did not pass in 2012. |
Iowa | |
Description | Sen. Jerry Behn introduced S 2095 to reinstate death penalty for murders of minors in the course of rape or kidnapping |
Satus | Bill unlikely to receive a hearing. Did not pass in 2012. |
Kansas* | |
Description | HB 2323 and SB 239 would repeal the death penalty |
Satus | HB 2323 in House Com. on Federal & State Affairs Did not pass in 2012. |
Kentucky* | |
Description | 1. Legislative proposal to form a death penalty study task force: House Concurrent Resolution 173. Would study ways of implementing ABA Assessment Report on KY. |
Satus | 1. Passed House on Mar.22 by vote of 73 – 18. Did not pass in Senate. 2. Did not pass in 2012. |
Louisiana | |
Description | HB 120: No longer require an electrician to attend executions now that Louisiana uses lethal injection instead of the electric chair. Allow anyone, including employees of the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections, to opt out of attending executions without fear of disciplinary action. Prevent licensing boards from taking action against people who participate in executions. Allow the state to keep secret the name of a physician summoned by the warden to witness the execution. State law requires a physician to be present. |
Satus | Passed 90 – 0 in House (April 2); moves to Senate |
Maryland* | |
Description | Abolition bills SB 872 and HB 949. Key vote will be in Senate Judicial Proceedings Com. |
Satus | Hearing March 7. House Judic. Com. hearing on Mar. 20. Session ended; bill did not pass. |
Minnesota | |
Description | Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen proposed bill to reinstate the death penalty |
Satus | Legislators consider passage unlikely Did not pass in 2012. |
Mississippi | |
Description | SB 2606 would allow the state to house death row prisoners in the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, a private prison |
Satus | Passed both legislative houses, later died in committee on a motion to reconsider |
Missouri* | |
Description | 1. Bill to abolish death penalty |
Satus | None passed in 2012. |
Nebraska* | |
Description | LB 276 would repeal the death penalty |
Satus | Measure pulled after debate on Jan. 26. Might be reconsidered later in session Did not pass in 2012. |
New Hampshire | |
Description | 1. A bill to expand the death penalty for all murders (HB 162). Sponsor would recommend repealing death penalty if it is too restricted. |
Satus | 1. Passed Crim. Justice & Pub. Safety Com., (Oct. 2011) recommending passage in Jan. 2012. Same Committeevoted unanimously to kill the bill in January, making passage unlikely. |
New Mexico | |
Description | Rep. Dennis Kintigh proposed a constitutional amendment to restore the death penalty |
Satus | Amendment would have to be approved by voters. Bills to restore the death penalty were to be heard in committee the week of Feb. 6. The sponsor acknowledged that there is little chance of passage. Did not pass in 2012. |
North Carolina | |
Description | 1. HB 615 would effectively repeal the state’s Racial Justice Act by requiring proof of intentional discrimination. 2. S416 would effectively repeal the state’s RJA by stating that statistics alone cannot be the basis for a finding of racial bias. It restricts statistical studies to race of defendant, allows data only within a county or prosecutorial district, and within a narrow time frame around the trial. |
Satus | 1. Defeated. Repeal of RJA passed by both Houses in a special session. Vetoed by the governor on Dec. 14, 2011. Legislature had an opportunity to override veto on Jan. 4. 2012, but override failed. RJA remains the law. 2. Passed Hse. Judic. Subcom. on June 6 by party-line vote of 8 – 6. PASSED in House (73 – 47) on June 13.PASSED the Senate (30 – 18) on June 20. Sent to governor. (At least 60% of those voting in each house is needed to override a governor’s veto.) Gov. vetoed bill, but both houses OVERRODE THE VETO, thereby passing the bill into law. |
Ohio* | |
Description | 1. Chief Justice of Sup. Ct. established a blue-ribbon commission to study all aspects of the death penalty. |
Satus | 1. Commission holding regular meetings |
Oregon | |
Description | Governor declared a moratorium on all executions for remainder of his term. |
Pennsylvania* | |
Description | 1. SB 6 Resolution to initiate a study of death penalty. |
Satus | 1. Passed in Senate in 2011. To be implemented in 2012. |
Rhode Island | |
Description | Sen. John Tassoni proposed bill to restore the death penalty. |
Satus | Passage unlikely; and if passed, likely to be vetoed by governor. Did not pass in 2012. |
South Carolina | |
Description | Bill to expand death penalty to specifically cover muder in the course of a home invasion. |
Satus | Bill has met opposition because SC law already covers this crime. |
South Dakota | |
Description | SB 42 aimed at speeding up and restricting appeals in criminal cases, including capital cases. Bill would generally limit defendants to one post-conviction petition and impose a deadline on filing. |
Satus | Passed House Judiciary Com. Passed legislature and is expected to be signed by governor. |
Virginia | |
Description | Del. Todd Gilbert’s bill would allow “non-shooters” to be eligible for the death penalty if they are an accessory to murder and exhibited an intent to kill. HB 502 |
Satus | Criminal Subcommittee of House Courts of Justice Committee reported bill to the full committee. Bill passedHouse 72 – 28, Feb. 15. |
Washington* | |
Description | Sen. Debbie Regala has introduced a bill to repeal the death penalty: SB 6283; HB 2468 |
Satus | Hearing in Sen. Judiciary Com. on Jan. 25. Did not pass in 2012. |
State | Description | Satus |
---|---|---|
Alabama* | SB 68 and HB 116 would impose a moratorium on executions | None passed in 2012. |
California* | 1. A coalition called Taxpayers for Justice has begun collecting signatures to place a death penalty repeal initiative on the ballot in November 2012. The initiative calls for using money saved by abolition for solving cold cases and assisting victims families. | 1. Defeated. Almost 800,000 signatures were collected, more than enough to qualify for the ballot in Nov. On April 23, all counties certified that enough valid signatures had been submitted, meaning the initiative will appear on the ballot. The initiative was defeated in the general election on Nov. 6, 2012 by a narrow margin 53%-47%. 2. The Senate Public Safety Committee rejected the bills to limit capital appeals. Defeated. |
Connecticut* | Abolition bill introduced in 2012. Replaces death penalty with a sentence of life without parole for future cases. | Approved for consideration on Feb. 22 by the Assembly’s Judiciary Com. (23 – 15). On March 21, the Judiciary Committee passed (24 – 19) the repeal bill. The bill will now move on to votes in the Senate and House. PASSED IN SENATE ON APRIL 5 (20 – 16). BILL AMENDED TO PROVIDE SPECIAL CONFINEMENT CONDITIONS FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF CAPITAL-LEVEL CRIMES. PASSED THE HOUSE (86 – 62) ON April 11. GOVERNOR SIGNED BILL on April 25. |
Florida* | 1. SB 772, SB 352, and HB 29 would require unanimity for a jury to recommend a death sentence | Neither passed in 2012. |
Georgia* | SB 342 would repeal the death penalty | Neither passed in 2012. |
Idaho | Bill to limit ramifications for health care officials involved in executions | Approved by Senate Judic. & Rules Com. |
Illinois | Rep. Dennis Reboletti introduced a bill to reinstate the death penalty. | Did not pass in 2012. |
Iowa | Sen. Jerry Behn introduced S 2095 to reinstate death penalty for murders of minors in the course of rape or kidnapping | Bill unlikely to receive a hearing. Did not pass in 2012. |
Kansas* | HB 2323 and SB 239 would repeal the death penalty | HB 2323 in House Com. on Federal & State Affairs Did not pass in 2012. |
Kentucky* | 1. Legislative proposal to form a death penalty study task force: House Concurrent Resolution 173. Would study ways of implementing ABA Assessment Report on KY. | 1. Passed House on Mar.22 by vote of 73 – 18. Did not pass in Senate. 2. Did not pass in 2012. |
Louisiana | HB 120: No longer require an electrician to attend executions now that Louisiana uses lethal injection instead of the electric chair. Allow anyone, including employees of the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections, to opt out of attending executions without fear of disciplinary action. Prevent licensing boards from taking action against people who participate in executions. Allow the state to keep secret the name of a physician summoned by the warden to witness the execution. State law requires a physician to be present. | Passed 90 – 0 in House (April 2); moves to Senate |
Maryland* | Abolition bills SB 872 and HB 949. Key vote will be in Senate Judicial Proceedings Com. | Hearing March 7. House Judic. Com. hearing on Mar. 20. Session ended; bill did not pass. |
Minnesota | Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen proposed bill to reinstate the death penalty | Legislators consider passage unlikely Did not pass in 2012. |
Mississippi | SB 2606 would allow the state to house death row prisoners in the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, a private prison | Passed both legislative houses, later died in committee on a motion to reconsider |
Missouri* | 1. Bill to abolish death penalty | None passed in 2012. |
Nebraska* | LB 276 would repeal the death penalty | Measure pulled after debate on Jan. 26. Might be reconsidered later in session Did not pass in 2012. |
New Hampshire | 1. A bill to expand the death penalty for all murders (HB 162). Sponsor would recommend repealing death penalty if it is too restricted. | 1. Passed Crim. Justice & Pub. Safety Com., (Oct. 2011) recommending passage in Jan. 2012. Same Committeevoted unanimously to kill the bill in January, making passage unlikely. |
New Mexico | Rep. Dennis Kintigh proposed a constitutional amendment to restore the death penalty | Amendment would have to be approved by voters. Bills to restore the death penalty were to be heard in committee the week of Feb. 6. The sponsor acknowledged that there is little chance of passage. Did not pass in 2012. |
North Carolina | 1. HB 615 would effectively repeal the state’s Racial Justice Act by requiring proof of intentional discrimination. 2. S416 would effectively repeal the state’s RJA by stating that statistics alone cannot be the basis for a finding of racial bias. It restricts statistical studies to race of defendant, allows data only within a county or prosecutorial district, and within a narrow time frame around the trial. | 1. Defeated. Repeal of RJA passed by both Houses in a special session. Vetoed by the governor on Dec. 14, 2011. Legislature had an opportunity to override veto on Jan. 4. 2012, but override failed. RJA remains the law. 2. Passed Hse. Judic. Subcom. on June 6 by party-line vote of 8 – 6. PASSED in House (73 – 47) on June 13.PASSED the Senate (30 – 18) on June 20. Sent to governor. (At least 60% of those voting in each house is needed to override a governor’s veto.) Gov. vetoed bill, but both houses OVERRODE THE VETO, thereby passing the bill into law. |
Ohio* | 1. Chief Justice of Sup. Ct. established a blue-ribbon commission to study all aspects of the death penalty. | 1. Commission holding regular meetings |
Oregon | Governor declared a moratorium on all executions for remainder of his term. | |
Pennsylvania* | 1. SB 6 Resolution to initiate a study of death penalty. | 1. Passed in Senate in 2011. To be implemented in 2012. |
Rhode Island | Sen. John Tassoni proposed bill to restore the death penalty. | Passage unlikely; and if passed, likely to be vetoed by governor. Did not pass in 2012. |
South Carolina | Bill to expand death penalty to specifically cover muder in the course of a home invasion. | Bill has met opposition because SC law already covers this crime. |
South Dakota | SB 42 aimed at speeding up and restricting appeals in criminal cases, including capital cases. Bill would generally limit defendants to one post-conviction petition and impose a deadline on filing. | Passed House Judiciary Com. Passed legislature and is expected to be signed by governor. |
Virginia | Del. Todd Gilbert’s bill would allow “non-shooters” to be eligible for the death penalty if they are an accessory to murder and exhibited an intent to kill. HB 502 | Criminal Subcommittee of House Courts of Justice Committee reported bill to the full committee. Bill passedHouse 72 – 28, Feb. 15. |
Washington* | Sen. Debbie Regala has introduced a bill to repeal the death penalty: SB 6283; HB 2468 | Hearing in Sen. Judiciary Com. on Jan. 25. Did not pass in 2012. |