The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Social Justice and United States Policy presented its Report #27 on Resolution D077 (Reduce Death Penalty Sentence) and moved adoption with amendment.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D071)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church reaffirms the longstanding principle espoused by The Episcopal Church that the Death Penalty in the United States of America should be repealed; and be it further

Resolved, That all persons who have been sentenced to Death in the United States of America have their Death Sentences reduced to a lesser Sentence or, if innocent, granted exoneration; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of this 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church transmit, forward or send this Resolution to the Governors in all States where the Death Penalty is legal and to the President of the United States of America, encouraging them to reduce the Death Sentence to a lesser Sentence for all persons who are on Death Row in each of their jurisdictions and to submit and support legislation to repeal and abolish the Death Penalty; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of this 79th Convention of The Episcopal Church transmit, forward or send this Resolution to all Bishops in States and Federal Jurisdictions where the Death Penalty is legal, encouraging them to appoint task forces of clergy and lay persons within each of their jurisdictions to develop a plan to repeal the Death Penalty, to be witnesses in the name of Jesus Christ, and to request that these Bishops report on their actions to the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church annually prior to the 80th General Convention, on or before June 30, 2019, June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021, all of which reports shall be available to lay communicants and clergy of The Episcopal Church.

Committee Amendment:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church reaffirms the longstanding principle espoused by The Episcopal Church that the Death Penalty in the United States of America should be repealed; and be it further

Resolved, That all persons who have been sentenced to Death in the United States of America have their Death Sentences reduced to a lesser Sentence or, if innocent, granted exoneration; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of this 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church transmit, forward or send this Resolution to the Governors in all States where the Death Penalty is legal and to the President of the United States of America, encouraging them to reduce the Death Sentence to a lesser Sentence for all persons who are on Death Row in each of their jurisdictions and to submit and support legislation to repeal and abolish the Death Penalty; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of this 79th Convention of The Episcopal Church transmit, forward or send this Resolution to all Bishops in States and Federal Jurisdictions where the Death Penalty is legal, encouraging them to appoint task forces of clergy and lay persons within each of their jurisdictions to develop a plan to repeal the Death Penalty, to be witnesses in the name of Jesus Christ, and to request that these Bishops report on their actions to the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church annually prior to the 80th General Convention, on or before June 30, 2019, June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2021, all of which reports shall be available to lay communicants and clergy of The Episcopal Church.; and be it further

Resolved, That The 79th General Convention urge Dioceses, congregations, and Episcopalians to advocate for passage of legislation in state legislatures that would abolish the Death Penalty and commend those Governors who have suspended the Death Penalty in their states.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #256)