Death Penalty Reform Act of 2006

The Death Penalty Reform Act of 2006 (H.R. 5040) proposed significant changes to how the federal government handles capital punishment cases. If enacted, the bill would have expanded the list of crimes eligible for the death penalty to include certain offenses like obstruction of justice that result in death.

The bill also aimed to streamline the legal process by allowing the government to strike potential jurors who oppose the death penalty and permitting sentencing juries of fewer than 12 members in certain circumstances. Additionally, it sought to modify how mental health is addressed in court by requiring defendants to provide advance notice of mental disability claims and granting the government the right to conduct its own independent mental health examinations. While the bill received a subcommittee hearing shortly after its introduction, it did not advance further in the legislative process.