{
  "dataset": "death-penalty-laws",
  "title": "Death Penalty Status by State",
  "as_of": "September 2026",
  "last_verified": "September 8, 2026",
  "source": "Death Penalty Information Center",
  "source_url": "https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/states-landing",
  "publisher": "The Liberty Tribune",
  "publisher_url": "https://thelibertytribune.com",
  "license": "https://thelibertytribune.com/republish/",
  "canonical": "https://thelibertytribune.com/trackers/death-penalty-by-state/",
  "rows": 50,
  "data": [
    {
      "state": "Alabama",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Alaska",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1957."
    },
    {
      "state": "Arizona",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Arkansas",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "California",
      "category": "hold",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty; governor ordered a halt to executions in 2019."
    },
    {
      "state": "Colorado",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2020."
    },
    {
      "state": "Connecticut",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2012."
    },
    {
      "state": "Delaware",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2016."
    },
    {
      "state": "Florida",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Georgia",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Hawaii",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1957."
    },
    {
      "state": "Idaho",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Illinois",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2011."
    },
    {
      "state": "Indiana",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Iowa",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1965."
    },
    {
      "state": "Kansas",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Kentucky",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Louisiana",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Maine",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1887."
    },
    {
      "state": "Maryland",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2013."
    },
    {
      "state": "Massachusetts",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1984."
    },
    {
      "state": "Michigan",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1847 — the first state to do so."
    },
    {
      "state": "Minnesota",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1911."
    },
    {
      "state": "Mississippi",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Missouri",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Montana",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Nebraska",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Nevada",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "New Hampshire",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2019."
    },
    {
      "state": "New Jersey",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2007."
    },
    {
      "state": "New Mexico",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2009."
    },
    {
      "state": "New York",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2007."
    },
    {
      "state": "North Carolina",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "North Dakota",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1973."
    },
    {
      "state": "Ohio",
      "category": "hold",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty; governor announced in 2020 that no executions would proceed during his tenure."
    },
    {
      "state": "Oklahoma",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Oregon",
      "category": "hold",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty; a governor's hold on executions has continued since 2011."
    },
    {
      "state": "Pennsylvania",
      "category": "hold",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty; a governor's hold has continued since 2015."
    },
    {
      "state": "Rhode Island",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1984."
    },
    {
      "state": "South Carolina",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "South Dakota",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Tennessee",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Texas",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Utah",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    },
    {
      "state": "Vermont",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1972."
    },
    {
      "state": "Virginia",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2021 — the first Southern state to do so."
    },
    {
      "state": "Washington",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 2023."
    },
    {
      "state": "West Virginia",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1965."
    },
    {
      "state": "Wisconsin",
      "category": "abolished",
      "summary": "Abolished in 1853."
    },
    {
      "state": "Wyoming",
      "category": "active",
      "summary": "Retains the death penalty."
    }
  ]
}