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Panel Tables Bill to Abolish Montana’s Death Penalty

Bills to abolish the state's death penalty have failed in every legislative session since 1999

By Dillon Tabish

HELENA — A legislative committee has tabled a bill that would abolish Montana’s death penalty.

The House Judiciary Committee voted 10-9 Friday against advancing the measure to the full House. The bill could be revived, but it is likely dead for the legislative session.

Bills to abolish the state’s death penalty have failed in every legislative session since 1999, which is as far back as the Legislature’s online bill-tracking archive goes.

Executions in Montana were blocked in 2015 when a state judge ruled that the state doesn’t have access to one of the drugs that can be legally used in lethal injections.

There are two inmates on the state’s death row. The state’s last execution was in 2006.