Lawmakers may eliminate capital punishment

A bill to be introduced this session would eliminate the death penalty in Washington State and require people convicted of first degree murder to serve life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson requested Senate bill 6052 after Senate bills proposing the same legislation did not pass through a committee hearing last year.

“I’m reasonably optimistic that this could be the year,” Ferguson said mentioning the bill’s bipartisan sponsorship. “The votes are there.”

Despite other legislative priorities, Ferguson said this year might be different w...