Colorado poised to become 22nd state with no death penalty

DENVER (AP) — Colorado is about to become the 22nd U.S. state to abolish the death penalty.

House lawmakers on Wednesday approved a repeal bill and sent it to Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who has pledged to sign it into law. It's the sixth death penalty repeal effort for the state since 2009.  

The bill would not apply to three men currently on Colorado’s death row. But Polis has suggested he might consider clemency for them.

The state Senate passed the bill in January.

Colorado's last execution was carried out in 1997.

Colorado's Legislature has been dominated by Democrats since 2018.