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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah Senate has approved a measure that would amend the Utah Constitution and give the Legislature the power to regulate post-conviction appeals for death row inmates.
Senate Joint Resolution 14 passed Monday 23-6. It now goes to the House for consideration.
If the measure is passed by two-thirds of the Legislature, it would then appear on the 2010 ballot for approval by voters.
The resolution is backed by Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, who wants to streamline the post-conviction process and shorten the amount of time convicted killers are on death row before execution.
Under the measure, lawmakers could set time limits for the appeals process or prevent defendants from repeatedly raising issues that had already been decided by a judge.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
