Baton Rouge, La., May 8, 2019 / 10:00 am
A proposal to allow voters to decide if capital punishment should remain legal in Louisiana has been defeated in the state senate.
Senate Bill 112 would have added a question to the next state-wide ballot proposing a constitutional amendment to abolish the death penalty. It was defeated Monday by a vote of 25-13 against, having needed a two-thirds majority to pass.
The measure narrowly passed out of legislative committee on April 30. Speaking during the senate debate, the bill's sponsor Sen. Dan Claitor, (R-Baton Rouge) said that respect for all human life was paramount.
"It's a morally wrong thing to do, and at the end of the day, it cheapens life," Claitor said.