Brownback gets bill mandating ‘Hard 50’ in Kansas for first-degree murder

Defendants convicted of premeditated first-degree murder in Kansas would face a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for at least 50 years under a bill heading to Gov. Sam Brownback.

The House approved the measure Wednesday on a 123-0 vote. Senators approved the bill, 37-3, on April 5.

The bill would double the mandatory time defendants must serve before being eligible for parole but allow judges to decide whether a lesser sentence is warranted.

Currently, prosecutors can seek the so-called “Hard 50” sentence against first-degree murder defendants, but it can only be imposed by juries after weighing factors presented during a trial.

The bill also would impose a minimum 25-year prison sentence for defendants convicted of attempted capital murder or committing murder during another felony.

This story was originally published May 1, 2014 at 7:27 AM with the headline "Brownback gets bill mandating ‘Hard 50’ in Kansas for first-degree murder."