Death penalty; restricted for those 18 yrs. or older at time of offense. (HB45)

Introduced By

Del. Vince Callahan (R-McLean) with support from 7 copatrons, whose average partisan position is:

Those copatrons are Del. Dave Albo (R-Springfield), Del. Ken Melvin (D-Portsmouth), Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston), Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), Sen. Janet Howell (D-Reston), Sen. Tommy Norment (R-Williamsburg), Sen. Ken Stolle (R-Virginia Beach)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Elimination of capital punishment for minors; penalty. Restricts the death penalty to those who are 18 years of age or older at the time of the capital offense. Currently, the age requirement to receive the death penalty is 16 years of age or older at the time of the offense. This change is being made in response to the case of Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551 (2005), decided March 1, 2005, in which the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid the execution of offenders who were under the age of 18 at the time of the crime. This bill is identical to SB 362. Read the Bill »

Status

03/06/2006: signed by governor

History

DateAction
12/12/2005Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 063408260
12/12/2005Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
12/12/2005Fiscal impact statement from VCSC (HB45)
01/18/2006Assigned to Courts of Justice sub-committee: Criminal Law
01/30/2006Reported from Courts of Justice (12-Y 10-N)
02/01/2006Read first time
02/02/2006Read second time and engrossed
02/03/2006Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N)
02/03/2006VOTE: PASSAGE (63-Y 34-N)
02/03/2006Communicated to Senate
02/06/2006Constitutional reading dispensed
02/06/2006Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
02/15/2006Reported from Courts of Justice (13-Y 2-N)
02/17/2006Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)
02/17/2006VOTE: (40-Y 0-N)
02/20/2006Read third time
02/20/2006Passed Senate (36-Y 4-N)
02/20/2006VOTE: (36-Y 4-N)
02/22/2006Fiscal impact statement from VCSC (HB45ER)
02/22/2006Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB45ER)
02/22/2006Enrolled
02/23/2006Signed by Speaker
02/23/2006Signed by President
03/06/2006G Approved by Governor-Chapter 36 (effective 7/1/06)
03/27/2006G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0036)