Virginia Senate passes death penalty abolition bill

Democratic Governor Ralph Northam has said he supports a full repeal, and a House version of the bill is advancing in that chamber. File picture

The Virginia Senate has passed a bill to abolish the death penalty, a measure that if passed into law would mark a major policy change for a state that has historically led the nation in the number of executions it has carried out.

The Democrat-controlled chamber approved the bill on a 21-17 vote, which came after a lengthy, emotional floor debate.