USA - New Mexico. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 6-5 to pass House Bill 285 that would abolish the death penalty to the Senate floor.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 6-5 to pass House Bill 285 to the Senate floor. Supporters of the bill that would abolish the death penalty considered the committee vote an important victory because in recent years, the Judiciary panel has killed it. This will be the first time since 2001 that a death-penalty repeal has reached the Senate floor. That year the Senate voted 20-21 against a similar bill. Allen Sanchez, executive director of New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops — which supports the bill — said he believes HB285 will pass the Senate. If he's right, the bill would go to Gov. Bill Richardson to sign. Although Richardson has said in the past he's supported capital punishment, in recent weeks he has said he would seriously consider the bill. "Gov. Richardson continues to weigh all sides of this issue," spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in an e-mail Monday. "He will not take a position until a bill reaches his desk." (See also Jan. 29, Feb. 6 and 11, and March 3).