12 March 2017 :

Florida. The House passed 112-3 HB 527. The measure requires all 12 members of a jury to approve a death sentence. If just one juror dissents, convicted murderers are sentenced to life in prison. Last October, the Florida Supreme Court threw out the state's death sentencing law, which required the jury to vote 10-2 in favor of capital punishment. In doing so, the justices forced the Legislature's hand, requiring them to fix state law if they wanted to allow prosecutions to move forward in death cases. Republican leaders made the new law a priority. The Senate passed the law yesterday, and the bill now goes to Gov. Rick Scott.