USA - Colorado. Judiciary Committee votes to abolish death penalty

Judiciary Committee votes to abolish death penalty. The House Judiciary Committee voted today HB 1274, which would make life in prison without parole the highest punishment available to prosecutors. The Committee approved the bill on a 7-4 party-line vote, with the majority Democrats voting in favor. The measure now must head to the House Appropriations Committee before it can go to the full House. House Bill 1274, co-sponsored by Rep. Paul Weissmann (D) and Sen. Morgan Carroll (D), is almost identical to legislation introduced by Weissmann in 2007. That year, the bill was passed out of committee but failed on third reading in the House. (see also Apr. 11, 2007).