Washington Gov. Jay Inslee,left, talks to a Darrington resident on March 26, 2014. On Wednesday, the state senate passed a bill to abolish the death penalty. Inslee supports ending the death penalty and put a moratorium on capital punishment in 2014. File Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI | License Photo

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- The Washington state senate passed a bipartisan bill Wednesday to abolish the death penalty.

Senate Bill 6052 passed the state senate 26 to 22 and will now go to the state house for a vote. If signed into law, the bill would repeal the death penalty for aggravated first-degree murder and replace it with life without parole, the News Tribune reported.


Republican State Sen. Maureen Walsh sponsored the bill and said she didn't do so out of sympathy.

"That's not why I'm doing this," said Walsh, whose district in Walla Walla is where the state's death row is located. "I'm doing this maybe because I feel like it's somewhat our responsibility as legislators to vet these issues here in this forum in this venue."

A major concern over maintaining a death penalty is the cost. A recent Seattle University study found that death penalty cases cost an average of about $1 million more than life imprisonment cases.

Moral concerns were also a part of the debate.

Republican State Sen. Mark Miloscia said his Catholic faith inspired him to support ending the state's death penalty.

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"All people deserve to live," he said during a floor debate.

The death penalty has also come under scrutiny over innocence cases and racial disparity, which were some of the reasons Washington Gov. Jay Inslee put a moratorium on capital punishment since 2014.

"There are too many flaws in the system,"Inslee said at the time.

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The bill now goes to the state House for a vote.

Inslee as voiced support for the bill and indicated he would sign it if it comes to his desk.

Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia have abolished the death penalty.