Colorado Death Penalty Repeal Withdrawn For This Year

DENVER, CO – By Alex Burness for Colorado Independent. UPDATED April 2, 2019. The bill to abolish the death penalty in Colorado has been effectively withdrawn for this session.

State Sen. Julie Gonzales asked that the legislation not be debated until May 4, the day after the regular session ends, The Denver Post reported Tuesday.

The abolition measure has been delayed repeatedly since Democrats introduced it in the state Senate earlier this month, and the abolitionists acknowledged that they were several votes shy of the majority they’d need to pass it.

Democrats hold a 19-16 edge in the Senate, but Majority Leader Steve Fenberg and multiple other sources said Friday that there were only 15 firm “yes” votes at the moment — 14 Democrats plus Henderson Republican Kevin Priola.

“Right now, I can’t count to 18,” said Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat.

Similar efforts have failed four times in recent years, but things seemed different this year: Democrats control both chambers of the legislature and the new governor, Jared Polis, has broken from predecessor John Hickenlooper by signaling clearly his intention to sign a repeal bill if it reaches his desk.

“Full steam ahead,” Sen. Lois Court told The Independent in February.

“If you’d asked me three months ago,” Fenberg said, “I’d have told you, ‘Yeah, we’re going to pass it this year.’”

That’s not looking likely.

READ MORE in the Colorado Independent