A bill barring executions of mentally retarded Nevada...

A bill barring executions of mentally retarded Nevada criminals won approval in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. AB15, now moving to the full Assembly, would bring Nevada into line with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year against executions of mentally retarded people convicted of capital crimes.
The Judiciary Committee also amended and approved AB17, which increases standards for defence counsel for people charged with a death-penalty eligible crime, and raises the pay rates for court-appointed attorneys to represent indigents.
The approved measure provides that court-appointed defence for capital trials must include two attorneys, as well as any other experts needed to aid in the defence. Attorneys would also get a pay raise from the counties from $75 per hour to $125 per hour for their service.
Both proposals came out of an interim legislative study on the death penalty.