TALLAHASSEE, Fla. _ Florida soon will once again have the ability to send convicted criminals to their deaths.
On Friday, the Florida House passed a fix to Florida's death penalty law, requiring a unanimous jury recommendation. Already passed by the Senate, it now goes to Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who is expected to sign it.
Florida's death penalty was thrown into chaos during last year's legislative session, when the U.S. Supreme Court found it unconstitutional that only a majority vote of a jury was required to recommend death.
The Florida Legislature quickly changed the law, setting the threshold at 10 out of 12 jurors. But the Florida Supreme Court found that law unconstitutional as well, necessitating this year's changes.
The House passed the bill 112-3, which followed a 37-0 vote by the Florida Senate on Thursday. It is the first bill passed by both chambers this session.
Once Scott signs the bill, it will allow dozens of death penalty cases to move forward.
Of the three "no" votes for the death penalty bill, only one spoke out on the House floor.
"I don't believe in the death penalty. I don't think it's a deterrent. I don't think it stops people. I don't think it's equitably applied," said state Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura. "I think it's morally and ethically wrong for the state to take a life."
