The Maryland state Senate on Wednesday voted to repeal the state’s death penalty, bringing the state closer to one of Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley’s legislative priorities, the Washington Post reported. The vote, after four days of debate, was 27 to 20.
The bill now goes to the state House, where supporters of repeal say they have the votes to end the death penalty.
The issue may end up on the Maryland ballot if repeal becomes law, due to a provision of the state constitution that allows recently passed laws to be put on the ballot — the same law opponents of gay marriage used to put the issue on last November’s ballot.
