Wanenried’s Opposition to HB 161:

Abolishing the Death Penalty:

Resources management, the Green Economy and where Montana fits:

*Abolishing the Death Penalty:

Senate Debates Senator Dave Wanzenried’s Senate Bill 185, Abolishing Montana’s Death Penalty

By Kacey Drescher

Story Published: Feb 8, 2011 at 7:07 PM MDT

Story Updated: Feb 9, 2011 at 4:57 PM MDT

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HELENA – The Senate Judiciary heard emotional testimony Tuesday over a bill that would end capital punishment in Montana. It’s similar to a measure that failed during the 2009 session.

One of the supporters of the measure is Diana Cote, whose teenage daughter was murdered in 2007. Cote said, “the thing that hurt the most was everyone kept asking me, ‘oh are you going to go for the death penalty’? I just didn’t get it, why after my own child being murdered would I want to go out and murder someone else?”

Cote supports Senator Dave Wanzenried’s Senate Bill 185 which abolishes the death penalty, instead setting the maximum penalty as life in prison without parole. Wanzenried said the families of defendants who are put to death should also be considered. He asked other lawmakers to spend 15 minutes inside a jail cell before forming an opinion on the death penalty.

Since 1974, 3 Montana inmates have been executed and the bill would change the fate of two inmates currently on death row. Randy Steid served 17 years in prison and was eventually proven innocent. He said abolishing capital punishment makes sure inmates who are wrongfully convicted aren’t put to death by mistake. He said, “let me tell you, when I was serving my sentence of life without parole and I would see those gurneys go by, if they would have asked me to jump on there I would have strapped myself in gladly.”

But, opponents of Wanzenried’s bill said the death penalty provides closure for the victims’ families. State Representative Tom Berry of Roundup knows firsthand about losing a loved one at the hand of another and he believes the death penalty needs to be an option. He said, “not a day goes by that I don’t think about my son who is no longer with us.”

Another part of the debate focused on the cost of incarceration versus putting someone to death. Wanzenried said it’s actually costs the state less to lock someone up for the rest of their lives. He said it costs $36,000 a year to house an inmate at the Montana State Prison. He said due to the lengthy legal process over capital punishment, it can cost 6 to 7 times more.

Seventeen states have abolished the death penalty, but opponents of the bill said 33 states will have the option.

PDF of SB185

http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2011/billpdf/SB0185.pdf

*Resources management, the Green Economy and where Montana fits:

4&20 Black Birds

https://4and20blackbirds.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/wanzenried-announces-re-election-bid-for-sd49/

Wanzenried currently sits on several senate committees: Finance and Claims, Highways and Transportation, Natural Resources and Rules committees. He is also on the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services.

In 2007-2008, he chaired the Environmental Quality Council, a product of the Montana Environmental Protection Act in our state constitution. He’s now moved over to vice-chair the Water Policy interim committee.

The other? Water. Wanzenried is committed to solving Montana’s water issues. Issues and events are bringing water issues to an apex or a disaster, depending on your perspective. Here’s the senator on the issue:

“As water flows decline while the demand for water increases, there will be tensions amongst a large number of users: agriculture; municipal, hydroelectric, recreationists, fisheries,” he said. “In our efforts to plan for a drier future, we must preserve the rights of senior water rights holders, the cornerstone of Montana water law.”

Wanzenried Addresses the Garden City Cannabis Expo April 10, 2011:

You can donate to the Wanzenried for Governor 2012 campaign here!