United States 119th Congress Status: In Committee 2 R cosponsors

S 718 — Eric’s Law

Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 18% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Eric's Law This bill modifies procedures with respect to capital sentencing hearings. If a jury at a capital sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence and there is a motion by the attorney for the government, the court must order a new special sentencing hearing and impanel a new jury. If the new jury at the special sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court is prohibited from imposing a death sentence.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

3 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill requires the impaneling of a new jury if a jury fails to unanimously recommend a sentence for a crime punishable by death.

  • 18 U.S.C. § 3593

    (g) Special Rule When Jury Does Not Return a Unanimous Recommendation.-- (1) In general.--If a jury described in subsection (b)(1) or subparagraphs (A) through (D) of subsection (b)(2) does not, by unanimous vote, make a recommendation whether the defendant should be sentenced to death, to life imprisonment without possibility of release, or some other lesser sentence pursuant to subsection (e), the court, upon motion of the attorney for the government, shall order a new special hearing and impanel a new jury pursuant to subsection (b). (2) Imposition of sentence.--If the jury impaneled pursuant to paragraph (1) does not reach a unanimous recommendation as to sentence, the court shall impose a sentence other than death authorized by law.

    This addition establishes a requirement for a new jury if the first jury does not reach a unanimous sentencing recommendation.

  • 18 U.S.C. § 3593(b)(2)

    or → or

    This change maintains the list format and adds a new condition for impaneling a special hearing if needed.

  • 18 U.S.C. § 3593(b)(2)

    (E) a new special hearing is required pursuant to subsection (g); or

    This addition specifies a new ground for requiring a special hearing when the jury does not make a unanimous recommendation.

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 545 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (545)

545 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S 718 do?
Eric's Law This bill modifies procedures with respect to capital sentencing hearings. If a jury at a capital sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence and there is a motion by the attorney for the government, the court must order a new special sentencing hearing and impanel a new jury. If the new jury at the special sentencing hearing does not reach a unanimous recommendation on the defendant's sentence, then the court is prohibited from imposing a death sentence.
Who sponsors S 718?
S 718 is sponsored by Cruz, Ted (Republican) and Ricketts, Pete (Republican).
What is the current status of S 718?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 25, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S 718?
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Last checked for changes 4 months ago · updated continuously

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