California Halts Executions!
Governor Gavin Newsom has announced an executive order that will halt all executions in the state of California. In addition to this, the order will also close the state’s death chamber and pull the current execution protocol. The governor called the practice of capital punishment “discriminatory, unjust, and inconsistent with our bedrock values”.
California has the largest death row in the country and has spent $4 billion on its death penalty system, a system that has not been used since 2006. We commend the governor for his leadership and hope other states will follow suit. The death penalty is a failure and a waster of resources.
Ohio Halts Executions!
In February, Governor Mike DeWine in Ohio also issued a halt on all pending executions. Citing a court opinion from a federal magistrate judge who found that the state’s execution protocols amounted to torture, DeWine said there would be no more executions in the state until a constitutional method was found. Again, we commend the governor for his leadership and commitment to the constitution.
New Hampshire Passes Repeal Through the House!
New Hampshire is moving quickly towards repeal for the second time in a year. A bill to repeal the death penalty passed through the House with a vote of 279 to 88! That number gives them a comfortable veto-proof majority in the House, which they may need should the governor veto the bill again. The bill will be voted on in the senate at the end of the month. If you’re in the state, contact your representatives or join our local coalition to help move the needle!
Wyoming Fails to Pass Repeal…
But boy did they come close. This little red state came out swinging this session, rapidly moving a repeal bill through their House and falling only four votes shy of advancing it in the senate. With such an impressive effort, this will certainly not be the last we hear of them.
Eight States with Republicans Leading Repeal
As of this writing, there are eight states with Republican-led efforts to repeal the death penalty. The Wall Street Journal recently covered this phenomenon and highlighted the work of our organization.
Successful CPAC
We exhibited at CPAC for the seventh year in a row last month. Per usual, we had a wonderful experience and encountered lots of conservatives eager to talk through the problems with the death penalty. You can read more about our experience here.
Help Share the Coverage
We’ve had an incredible amount of media coverage over the past couple of months. You can read pieces by or about us in The Hill, Newsmax, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal. Be sure to share these on your social media platforms.
Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty (CCATDP), a project of Equal Justice USA, is a network of political and social conservatives who question the alignment of capital punishment with conservative principles and values. For news and updates from CCATDP, join their email list.
