The state Senate and its new Democratic majority will...

The state Senate and its new Democratic majority will get the chance to vote on legislation that would make broad changes to the state's death penalty laws to guard against executing an innocent person.
The legislation would bar the death penalty for someone convicted solely on testimony by a jailhouse informant, give the state Supreme Court broad powers to overturn unjust death sentences and expand a convict's ability to present new evidence of innocence.
The bill was approved 10-0 by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which also passed a bill that would require police to record their interrogations of murder suspects. The bill would:
-let judges rule out a death sentence for someone convicted solely on the testimony of a jailhouse informant, accomplice or single witness.
-expand defendants' access to genetic evidence used against them.
-tighten requirements that police turn over evidence that might help the defense.
-set new standards for conducting police lineups.
-let the state Supreme Court overturn any death sentence that is "fundamentally unjust," even if there is no technical flaw in the proceedings.
The separate taping bill is meant as a safeguard against police lying about a suspect making incriminating statements or torturing someone into confessing. But supporters say it also will guard against criminals making false allegations of police brutality.
The bills are SB15, SB472.