NEVADA – The Nevada Board of Pardons will consider commuting all state death sentences.

The legislation is on the agenda for a meeting of the Board of Pardons next week. According to the agenda, the board will consider whether to commute all death penalty sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The Board of Pardons is chaired by outgoing Governor Steve Sisolak. Governor Sisolak requested that the topic be put to the agenda, according to Meghin Delaney, the governor’s spokesperson.

“The Governor believes this is an important subject for the Commissioners to consider and will vote in favor of the bill,” Delaney explained.

“The Governor has long stated that the death penalty should be pursued and employed less frequently, and he believes that this is an appropriate and important step forward in the ongoing discourse and discussion about capital punishment.”

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, there are now 65 people on death row in Nevada. The last execution in the state occurred in 2006.

In 2021, the Nevada Legislature debated repealing the state’s death punishment. The bill ultimately died; at the time, progressive groups said that Governor Sisolak “failed” Nevadans by not pursuing the bill.

The Board of Pardons will meet to discuss the measure on Tuesday, December 20 at 9 a.m.

Credits: Fox 5 Vegas

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