Relating to abolishing the death penalty.

SB 343 would eliminate the death penalty as a sentencing option for capital felonies in Texas. It amends the Penal Code to mandate life imprisonment without parole for all capital felony convictions committed by individuals aged 18 or older, and life imprisonment (not life without parole) for those under 18 at the time of the offense. The bill also modifies jury trial procedures in capital cases where the state does not seek the death penalty, requiring written state consent for defendants to waive jury trials. This legislation directly affects all future capital felony cases in Texas, replacing the death penalty with mandatory life sentences based on the defendant's age at the time of the crime. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.