CNN) -- New Jersey lawmakers have voted to abolish the death penalty in the state, sending the governor a bill he has already said he will sign. The measure will make New Jersey the first state in more than 40 years to outlaw capital punishment.

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, in a file photo, has said he'll sign the bill abolishing the death penalty.
The bill will make life in prison the most severe penalty for convicted murderers in the state, including the eight men currently on the state's death row. New Jersey has not put anyone to death since 1963, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
The state Assembly approved the measure 44-36 Thursday, following up Monday's 21-16 approval in the state Senate.
A spokesman for Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine said the bill probably will be signed into law within a few days, after the exact text is reviewed closely.
"The governor has said for quite some time that he supports the bill," said spokesman Jim Gardner.
No Death Penalty
Alaska
Hawaii
Iowa
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
New York
North Dakota
Rhode Island
Vermont
West Virginia
Wisconsin
(District of Columbia)
Source: Amnesty International
The bill was introduced in November, after a state commission concluded capital punishment does not prevent violent crime, and could lead to innocent people being executed.
Some Republicans had argued police killers and terrorists should still be eligible for execution, but Democrats, who control both houses, backed the change.
"This vote marks a new chapter in our nation's 30-year experiment with capital punishment," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, which opposes executions.
"New Jersey lawmakers are demonstrating sound judgment in abandoning
capital punishment after learning of its costs, the pain it causes victims' families, and the risks the death penalty poses to innocent lives."
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New Jersey, in their infinite wisdom, has opted to abolish capital punishment and commuting the death sentences of 6 people already on Death Row. One of which was the murderer of Megan Smith, the 7 yr old for which "Megan's law" was named after. It made the sex offender registry possible. Makes sense why we should keep such a model citizen alive living of the 3 squares and a bed tax payers will provide for years and years and years to come.
Discuss.