Senate gives final passage to death penalty repeal

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HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The state Senate is sending a bill to repeal Montana's death penalty to the House, where the plan failed two years ago.

A day after the Senate signaled its support for Senate Bill 185, the chamber gave it final passage Tuesday with another 26-24 vote.

The bill drew the support of all the chamber's Democrats and four Republicans.

If it passes, the bill will immediately replace the death penalty with life in prison without parole and could change the sentences of two inmates currently on death row.

Next, the bill must clear the Republican-dominated House. A similar measure passed the Senate last session in 2009, but didn't even make it out of a House committee

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