The 2015 Abolition Bill has been introduced – Now there should be a Judiciary Committee Hearing!
HB 2129 would repeal the death penalty and replace it with life without parole. It was introduced by Representative Steven Becker of Buhler – and there should be a Committee hearing of this important bill in the House Judiciary Committee.
Please contact your legislators now:
1. First contact Rep. John Barker, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee – and tell Chairman Barker that you feel HB 2129 should have a hearing that is timely and allows the Committee to hear the most important issues related to repeal – including the significant cost savings that repeal of the death penalty will bring to the State.
Chairman Barker’s contact info: Capitol Office Phone: 785 296-7674; House of Representatives Email address: john.barker@house.ks.gov
2. Contact your Representative also to let him/her know of your support for a hearing and your support for repeal. You can find your Representative at HERE.
When you call, email or write – share these important facts:
1. Several studies have looked at the cost of Kansas’ death penalty since its reinstatement in 1994 and have found that a death sentence costs more than the alternative of life in prison without parole. The high cost of the death penalty diverts important financial resources that the state could spend better.
2. 1994 Fiscal Note estimated that, when Kansas reinstated the death penalty, it would cost the state an extra $2.4 – 4.2 million per year.
3. 2014 Judicial Council Study found that defense and district court costs are 3-4 times higher for trials where the death penalty is sought than for trials in similar cases where it is not sought.
If you have time you can also share that:
1. There is no deterrent effect.
2. Our criminal justice system does convict innocent people – and the death penalty makes righting that wrong impossible.
3. The death penalty system is arbitrary – similar crimes are prosecuted differently due to geography, availability of local resources to pay for a death penalty trial, and racial and economic factors.
4. The death penalty prolongs victims’ families suffering.
5. The death penalty is not humane. 2014 was a year rife with botched executions.
It’s important for legislators to hear from constituents like you! Call, write or email your legislators today and tell them you support ending the Kansas death penalty!
If you have questions, please feel free to reference our General Overview Handout. If you need assistance, or want to share your legislator’s response, please contact us here at KCADP! For more information contact: Mary Sloan, Executive Director at mary@ksabolition.org.