Nevada Appeal Capitol Bureau
Thursday, May 13, 2021
Gov. Steve Sisolak and Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, D-Las Vegas, issued statements Thursday effectively saying the bill to abolish the death penalty in Nevada is dead this session.
“At this time there is no path forward for Assembly Bill 395 this session,” said Sisolak, who is among those who don’t want execution completely banned in Nevada.
Cannizzaro said the stakeholders, “have not yet found consensus on the bill and it is unlikely they will in the remaining few weeks of the session.”
But she said that won’t prevent lawmakers from moving forward on other police policy practices, the bail system and other parts of the criminal justice system that need reform.
“I have been clear on my position that capital punishment should be sought and used less often but I believe there are severe cases that warrant it,” Sisolak said.
AB395 was passed by the Assembly. It would not only have prevented executions going forward but commuted the sentences for the 70-plus inmates currently on death row to life in prison without parole.
