The Texas Senate approved legislation to allow juries to sentence capital murderers to life in prison without parole.
The Senate passed the bill by a 26-to-five vote. The bill also would remove a jury's option to sentence convicts to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years.
Under current law, Texas juries that return a guilty verdict in a capital murder case can choose between a death penalty or a life term with the possibility for parole.
Under the bill, the two options would be execution by lethal injection or life in prison without parole.
The life without parole bill is SB 60.
