Abolishes the death penalty and specifies that any person sentenced to death must be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole

HB 994 abolishes the death penalty for first-degree murder convictions in Missouri, replacing it with a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without parole. This bill directly affects individuals convicted of first-degree murder who would have previously faced execution. Key provisions repeal all existing death penalty statutes and require courts to impose life imprisonment without parole as the sole penalty for this offense. The law eliminates the possibility of a death sentence, ensuring all such convictions result in life in prison. It applies to all current and future cases involving first-degree murder.