USA - Kansas. Senators sent a bill repealing Kansas’ death-penalty law back to a committee, likely averting any action on the measure this year.

Senators sent a bill repealing Kansas’ death-penalty law back to a committee, likely averting any action on the measure this year. Senate Bill 208, which would have abolished the death penalty, has been back to the Judiciary Committee, which intends to give it to the Kansas Judicial Council for study over the summer, effectively killing the bill for this session. Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, found what he said were probably unintended problems with the legislation. Schmidt described the measure as "seriously flawed" and "not ready for prime time." But for the current 2009 legislative session, the issue is dead. Sen. Tim Owens, R-Overland Park, and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said his committee doesn't have time to deal with it anymore. The issue could come up again in the fall in a study committee.