Death penalty bill advances in New Mexico

A proposal to reinstate the death penalty in New Mexico has cleared a new hurdle in the state Legislature.

The appropriations and finance committee in the House of Representatives recommended approval Monday of a bill to reinstate capital punishment by lethal injection for convicted killers of police, children and corrections officers.

The proposal moves next to the full House, which reconvenes on Wednesday.

Republican New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and allies in the Legislature are pushing to revive the death penalty in response to the recent killings of two police officers and the sexual assault, killing and dismemberment in August of 10-year-old Victoria Martens in Albuquerque.

Committee members voted 8-6 along party lines to advance the bill, with Democrats in opposition.

Deliberations over the death penalty are spilling over into fall election campaigns. The entire Legislature is up for re-election in November.