REFERENCE TITLE: capital punishment study committee

State of Arizona Senate Fifty-second Legislature First Regular Session 2015

SB 1112

Introduced by Senators Ableser, Bradley, Contreras, Dalessandro, Quezada

 

AN ACT

 

establishing the capital punishment study committee.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Capital punishment study committee; duties; report; delayed repeal

A.  A capital punishment study committee is established consisting of the following members:

1.  Four members of the house of representatives who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, not more than two of whom are members of the same political party.

2.  Four members of the senate who are appointed by the president of the senate, not more than two of whom are members of the same political party.

3.  The attorney general or the attorney general's designee.

4.  One supreme court justice who is appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.

5.  Two superior court judges who have experience trying capital cases and who are appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court, one of whom is from a county with a population of two million persons or more and one of whom is from a county with a population of less than two million persons.

6.  Two county prosecutors who are appointed by the governor, one of whom is from a county with a population of two million persons or more and one of whom is from a county with a population of less than two million persons.

7.  Two public defenders who are appointed by the governor, one of whom is from a county with a population of two million persons or more and one of whom is from a county with a population of less than two million persons.

8.  One private defense attorney who has experience trying capital cases and who is appointed by the governor.

9.  One victim representative who is appointed by the governor.

10.  One prisoner advocate who is appointed by the governor.

B.  Members of the committee are not eligible to receive compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.

C.  A majority of the members of the committee constitutes a quorum.

D.  The committee members shall select a chairperson from among its members.

E.  The committee shall conduct a thorough study of all matters relating to the administration of capital punishment and shall determine whether the administration of capital punishment is consistent with constitutional principles and is administered in a rational, fair and accurate manner in this state.

F.  The committee shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives on or before December 1, 2015 and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state.

G.  This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2015.