Northeast Propositions for the month of November

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Since Verily has withdrawn his death penalty bill, I will propose one in his stead.

Death Penalty Reform Act of 2007

1. With regard to the use of the death penalty in the region of the Northeast, it is hereby resolved that:

• The Northeast shall limit the use of the death penalty for terrorist acts, murders involving torture, the killing of active duty law enforcement officers, and murder sprees;
• The Northeast shall require a burden of proof where jurors find "no doubt" as to the guilt of the defendant before the death penalty may be applied;
• The Northeast shall allow for jurors who do not support the death penalty to serve in death penalty cases;
• The Northeast shall not allow the use of the death penalty for defendants under 18 at the time of the applicable offense and those who are "mentally ill"; and
• Jurors must find that there is ''conclusive evidence" reaching a ''high level of scientific certainty" linking the defendant to the crime scene, the murder weapon, or the victim's body before a death sentence can be imposed. This evidence may include DNA evidence, footwear impressions, fingerprints, ballistics, and photographs.

2. Be it further resolved that all inmates currently serving on death row shall be eligable for a new trial by jury to solely address the terms of their sentence.  If the prosecution is not able to meet the burden for the death penalty as provided in the Death Penalty Reform Act of 2007, the sentence of death shall be commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

3. The use of the lethal injection method of applying the death penalty shall hereby be outlawed in the Northeast effective January 1, 2009.  The sole method of execution in the Northeast thereafter shall be death by carbon monoxide poisoning.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Vehicle Procurement Act of 2007
1. Be it hereby resolved that all new vehicles purchased for offical regional use in the Northeast (including buses used for the purposes of regional-subsidized mass transit) must, at a minimum, meet PZEV (Partial Zero-emissions Vehicle) standards.
a.  Definition.  In order to qualify as a PZEV, a vehicle must meet the SULEV (Super Ultra Low-emissions Vehicle) standard and, in addition, have zero evaporative emissions from its fuel system plus an extended (15-year/150,000-mile) warranty on its emission-control components, which incidentally covers the propulsion electrical components of a hybrid electric vehicle.

2. Vehicles should meet AT-PZEV (Advanced Technology Partial zero-emissions vehicle) standards or better whenever feasible.  (AT-PZEV standards include cars that utilize hybrid technology.)

3. Effective Date.  The Vehicle Procurement Act of 2007 shall go into effect immediately upon passage.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Death Penalty Reform Act of 2007
X  Mr. Moderate

Vehicle Procurement Act of 2007
X  Mr. Moderate

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Ah, my bad.  Just noticed that.

Consider these on hold for December, then.