Washington Post – Md. Senate panel approves measures on death penalty repeal, tighter gun-control

By John Wagner and Aaron C. Davis,February 21, 2013
  • Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley speaks at a rally in support of repealing the state's death penalty in Annapolis on Jan. 15. OMalleys repeal bill will go to the Senate floor after being approved by a committee on Thursday night.
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley speaks at a rally in support of repealing… (Patrick Semansky/AP )

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s bill to abolish Maryland’s death penalty cleared a tall hurdle Thursday evening as a key Senate committee approved the measure for the first time and sent it to the full chamber for a vote next week.

The same Senate panel, which voted 6 to 5 for the repeal bill, later signed off on sweeping gun-control legislation, another top O’Malley priority, in a voting session that stretched until nearly midnight.

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