USA - Virginia. The House today passed bills to expand capital punishment

The House today passed bills to expand capital punishment to include those who assist in a murder but don't do the actual killing and those who kill a fire marshal or auxiliary police officer who is on duty. The Senate passed similar bills last month, but one didn't get the 2/3 majority that would be needed to overturn a likely veto. For the past 2 years, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has vetoed bills to expand Virginia's "triggerman rule," which reserves capital punishment for the person who actually does the killing. The bills would allow the death penalty for any accomplice who shares the triggerman's intent to kill. The House voted 73-25 today in favor of Republican Del. Todd Gilbert's bill. The Democrat-controlled Senate passed Republican Sen. Mark Obenshain's version 24-16, three votes shy of being veto-proof. The House voted 75-22 to allow capital punishment for those who kill fire marshals and auxiliary police while on duty. The Senate already passed similar bills, but not by enough votes to override a likely veto. See also Jan. 21 and 27, and Feb. 3.