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Inslee signs bill to remove death penalty from Washington state law Execution Gurney | File image Execution Gurney | File image(Texas Department of Criminal Justice via MGN) By FOX 12 Staff Published: Apr. 20, 2023 at 12:30 PM PDT|Updated: 4 hours ago OLYMPIA, Wash. - The death penalty is no longer in Washington state law. FOX 13 Seattle says Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill Thursday officially striking it from Washington law five years after the state's Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional. "It's official. The death penalty is no longer in state law," Inslee said in a tweet. "In 2014 I issued a moratorium. In 2018 the state Supreme Court deemed the death penalty unconstitutional. Now in 2023, passage of SB 5087 strikes it entirely from our statutes." SEE ALSO: Semi-automatic rifle ban passes Washington state Legislature The Washington State Legislature voted in favor of SB 5087 earlier this month. The law also removes other unconstitutional laws, according to Attorney General Bob Ferguson's office: * Forced sterilization. RCW 9.92.100 allows a judge to order certain people sterilized. This is unconscionable and at least questionable under Skinner v. Oklahoma. * Loyalty oaths. RCW 9.81.070 required public employees to sign loyalty oaths attesting that they are not communists and do not belong to subversive organizations. The United States Supreme Court ruled this unconstitutional in Baggett v. Bullitt. * Disclosure of private financial records. RCW 21.20.380 authorized administrative subpoenas of customer banking records from financial institutions without notice to the customer. The court ruled this violates Article I, Section 7 of the state constitution in State v. Miles. In 2014, Inslee imposed a moratorium on executions. He said his decision came after months of "careful review," and is an executive action that did not require legislative approval. "Equal justice under the law is the state's primary responsibility. And in death penalty cases, I'm not convinced equal justice is being served," Inslee said at the time. "The use of the death penalty in this state is unequally applied, sometimes dependent on the budget of the county where the crime occurred." Back in 2018, the Washington Supreme Court ruled the death penalty invalid because "it is imposed in an arbitrary and racially biased manner." "The Washington State Supreme Court ruled that Washington's death penalty is invalid because it's applied in an arbitrary and racially biased manner," Ferguson said. "On Friday the Legislature took the important and appropriate step of repealing the death penalty from our state statutes once and for all. Thank you to Senator Pedersen for his leadership." SEE ALSO: There's no more plastic bags at Walmart stores in Oregon, Washington The court unanimously found that Washington's use of the death penalty is unconstitutional. As a result, the sentences of everyone on death row at the time in Washington state were converted to life without the possibility of parole. Copyright 2023 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved. Most Read Salem, Oregon, USA downtown cityscape in the afternoon. You need to make this much to be considered 'middle class' in Oregon Large fire destroys former tavern in N. Portland. Large fire destroys former tavern in N. Portland File: cash Think Oregon taxes are high? It's actually one of the least taxed states You may be entitled to a settlement from Facebook. How to get your share of a $725 million Facebook data privacy settlement A total-annular hybrid solar eclipse will take place on April 20, 2023, according to NASA. Rare hybrid solar eclipse will be visible Thursday Latest News Cowlitz tribe opens first marijuana dispensary. Cowlitz tribe opens first marijuana dispensary FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2017 file photo, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown delivers her inaugural speech to... 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