Local lawmakers last week introduced House Bill 1739, a measure to abolish the death penalty and replace it with a life sentence with no opportunity for parole.

The bill is a bipartisan effort and was introduced by 36th District Democratic Rep. Reuven Carlyle. The bill was co-sponsored by Reps. Chad Magendanz (R-Issaquah), Maureen Walsh (R-Walla Walla) and Tina Orwall (D-Des Moines).

“I’ve introduced this to the legislation each year, and I feel like it is important to our civic dialogue to address societal issues that go to the core of our value system. To me the death penalty is below us as a civilized society,” said Carlyle. “I think on the policy front it’s clear that there’s no preventative impact or effect. On the implementation front it’s clear there is great disparity in how it’s applied across the counties of the nation. On the financial front, it’s dramatically more expensive than life in prison. And on the moral front it is unreflective to what a moral society can be.”

House Bill 1739 would also require those convicted to pay restitution to victims and their families.

“We are including a new provision that requires those convicted of offenses to work within prison, as appropriate per the Department of Corrections, to contribute towards restitution for victims’ families,” said Rep. Carlyle. “ I think it’s a very important principle to honor families and victims, not in terms of amount but in time and effort contributed to show restitution to families. It’s an import ingredient in the dialogue.”

The bid to outlaw capital punishment has failed in the Washington State legislature in previous years, but after Gov. Jay Inslee imposed a moratorium on capital punishment last February, supporters are hopeful. Inslee noted the economic costs to Washingtonians and the unreasonable discretion of the death penalty as factors for the moratorium.

"Equal justice under the law is the state's primary responsibility. And in death penalty cases, I'm not convinced equal justice is being served. The use of the death penalty in this state is unequally applied, sometimes dependent on the budget of the county where the crime occurred,” said Inslee.

Rep. Orwall spoke to the timeliness of the measure. “We believe there has been a shift in thinking about the death penalty including recognition of the impact of DNA testing, cost to taxpayers, and lack of support for victims’ families in a drawn-out process,” said Orwall. “This year is the right time to seriously consider this legislation, and we deeply respect the openness of colleagues and families that have been touched by violence as our state thoughtfully discusses this issue.”

The same day the bill was introduced (Jan. 26), Mayor Ed Murray and all nine Seattle City Council members, along with City Attorney Pete Holmes, signed a letter that urged lawmakers to find alternatives to the death penalty.

“There is no credible evidence showing that the death penalty deters homicide or makes our communities safer,” the letter stated. “Instead, pursuing capital punishment diverts precious resources from critical public safety programs, delays final resolution for victims’ families and has serious implications for racial and social equity.”

Currently the federal government and 32 states, including Washington and Oregon, authorize the death penalty. Along with Gov. Inslee’s moratorium, Oregon’s Governor, John Kitzhaber, also said there would be no execution during the remainder of his term. Up to date, eighteen states have abolished the death penalty.

“We realize this is a painfully difficult and profoundly serious public issue, and we ask our colleagues and the public to join us in a constructive dialogue about our state’s approach,” Carlyle said.

On top of moral motivation for the bill, the bipartisan group emphasized the fiscal factors in the policy change. The capital penalty process, though it occurs infrequently in Washington, is costly for the state. A recent Seattle University Study reported the death penalty costs $24 million for each of the five executions Washington has carried out since 1981. In addition, even seeking the death penalty costs on average $1 million more than cases not seeking it. Furthermore, the study determined that in Washington, 75 percent of cases involving death sentences have been reversed.

“The hope is that we as a civic society can thoughtfully and genuinely explore better ways to have a meaningful and effective criminal justice system,” said Rep. Carlyle.