Nevada Department of Corrections via AP
This Nov. 10, 2016, photo shows the execution chamber at Ely State Prison.
Thursday, May 13, 2021 | 1:39 p.m.
CARSON CITY — Gov. Steve Sisolak said a bill to ban the death penalty in Nevada will not pass this legislative session. It is the third consecutive session lawmakers have failed to pass the ban.
Sisolak said discussions need to continue on the breadth of the bill.
“At this time, there is no path forward for Assembly Bill 395 this legislative session. I’ve been clear on my position that capital punishment should be sought and used less often, but I believe there are severe situations that warrant it,” Sisolak said in a statement.
“I understand there are those who will be disappointed by this outcome, however the process of determining which crimes are severe enough to warrant this punishment deserves thoughtful consideration,” Sisolak said.
The bill passed the Democratic-controlled Assembly on a 26-16 party-line vote. It languished in the Senate for a month while discussions continued behind closed doors.
Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, D-Las Vegas, said lawmakers were working on potential amendments that could “restrict the application” of the death penalty but could not reach an agreement.
“While we are disappointed that we could not get across the finish line this session on Assembly Bill 395, we have to accept that there is a process and many of our priorities don't ultimately come to fruition,” Frierson said in a statement. “We will continue working on policies we believe are sound and continue working with our colleagues on meaningful reform to the inequities that exist in our criminal justice system.”
The bill was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Melanie Scheible, D-Las Vegas, but never got a hearing.
Scheible and Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, D-Las Vegas, both work for Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, a supporter of the death penalty.
“Unfortunately, we have not yet found consensus on the bill, and it is unlikely that we would in the remaining few weeks of the session,” Cannizzaro said in a statement. “This decision understandably will disappoint many advocates, but it will also not change our commitment to moving other critical legislation this session reforming policing practices, the bail system, and other important aspects of our criminal justice system.”
