People who purposely murder a child 11 or younger would...

People who purposely murder a child 11 or younger would face the death penalty under 2 bills that a Senate panel overwhelmingly recommended.
The Senate Public Affairs Committee voted 5-1 to give do-pass recommendations for Senate Bills 51 and 272 sponsored by Sen. Mary Jane Garcia, D-Doña Ana, and Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson, R-Las Cruces.
The identical bills would add the murder of a child 11 or under to the list of "aggravating circumstances" that can make the death penalty a possible sentence in a first-degree murder case.
Such a repeal bill is working its way through the House of Representatives. Last week, the House Consumers and Public Affairs Committee gave a do-pass to House Bill 377, sponsored by Rep. Gail Beam, D-Albuquerque.
During his campaign last year, Gov. Bill Richardson said he would sign a bill to expand the death penalty for child murderers.
The bills now go to the Senate Judiciary Committee.