TX HB454

Abolishes the death penalty in Texas, replacing it with life imprisonment without parole as the maximum punishment for capital felonies committed by individuals 18 years of age or older

Individuals who committed capital felonies when younger than 18 years of age would receive life imprisonment with the possibility of parole

Removes all death penalty-related procedural provisions from the Code of Criminal Procedure, including special jury selection requirements, alternate juror provisions for capital cases, and punishment phase procedures specific to death penalty trials

Reduces peremptory challenges in felony cases to 10 for each side (previously, capital cases seeking death allowed 15 per side)

Applies to all pending, on-appeal, or newly commenced criminal actions regardless of when the offense occurred, but does not affect existing final convictions carrying death sentences