USA - Nevada. Death penalty audit clears Senate panel.

Death penalty audit clears Nev. Senate panel. The Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections endorsed 3-2 AB 444. The bill is requiring a study on the cost of the death penalty in Nevada. It cleared the committee today on a party-line vote, with Republicans raising concerns the study is a veiled attempt to abolish capital punishment. Assemblyman James Ohrenschall, a prime sponsor of the bill, said the goal is to give legislators a thorough analysis on how much it costs Nevada taxpayers to keep the death penalty. There are 83 people on Nevada’s death row. The last execution was in 2006 and none is imminent. A similar bill was vetoed in 2011 by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, who said it lacked specifics to ensure the result would be fair.