( CNN ) -- New Mexico Gov . Bill Richardson signed a bill Wednesday repealing the death penalty in his state , his office confirmed . New Mexico Gov . Bill Richardson signed legislation repealing the state 's death penalty . `` Regardless of my personal opinion about the death penalty , I do not have confidence in the criminal justice system as it currently operates to be the final arbiter when it comes to who lives and who dies for their crime , '' Richardson said in a statement Wednesday . He noted that more than 130 death row inmates have been exonerated in the past 10 years , including four in New Mexico . `` Faced with the reality that our system for imposing the death penalty can never be perfect , my conscience compels me to replace the death penalty with a solution that keeps society safe , '' he said . With the governor 's decision , New Mexico joins 14 other states that do n't impose the death penalty . Several other states , including Colorado , Kansas , Maryland and Montana , are considering changes to their capital punishment laws . See which states have bills to do away with capital punishment » . The bill replaces the death penalty with life without the possibility of parole . New Mexico currently has two men on death row and has executed one person -- convicted child killer Terry Clark , in 2001 -- since the United States reinstated the death penalty in 1976 . As the legislation is written , it will not affect current death row inmates . `` Throughout my adult life , I have been a firm believer in the death penalty as a just punishment -- in very rare instances , and only for the most heinous crimes . I still believe that , '' Richardson , a Democrat , said . `` The issue became more real to me because I knew the day would come when one of two things might happen : I would either have to take action on legislation to repeal the death penalty , or more daunting , I might have to sign someone 's death warrant . '' Rep. Gail Chasey , who first introduced House Bill 285 in 1999 , said the bill would relieve families of the burden of a lengthy death penalty trial and appellate phase and restore the focus to crime victims . `` Every time there is a court hearing , a conviction , an appeal , the focus is on the defendant , but the family still has to go through it all again and again . It 's very , very hard for the families . It reopens the wounds each time , '' she said . The legislation will also spare the state cost of mounting a death penalty trial , which Casey said typically costs more than a non-death penalty trial . `` We can put that money toward enhancing law enforcement , public works , you name it , '' she said . Richardson also said he was troubled by the fact that minorities are `` over-represented in the prison population and on death row . '' Minorities make up more than half of the death row population nationwide , according to the Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center , a nonprofit group that opposes the death penalty . The American Civil Liberties Union said Richardson 's decision should `` send a powerful message to other states '' about the need to reevaluate `` our error-prone , discriminatory and bankrupting system of capital punishment . '' Local and state law enforcement associations opposed the bill . Richardson agreed the death penalty is a tool to deter crime , but said it was not the only tool . `` For some would-be criminals , the death penalty may be a deterrent , '' he said . `` But it 's not , and never will be , for many , many others . '' The state legislature approved the measure last Friday . Prior to signing the legislation , Richardson received thousands of e-mails and phone calls weighing in on the matter . As of noon Wednesday , the governor 's office said it had received 10,847 phone calls , e-mails and walk-in comments from people who wanted to voice their opinions on the legislation . Of those , 8,102 were for a repeal of the death penalty and 2,745 were against it , according to Richardson 's office . In addition , Richardson met Monday with more than 100 New Mexicans to discuss the issue , his office said . Other states also have considered repealing their capital punishment laws this year . In Kansas , state senators voted Monday to send such a bill back to committee , The Kansas City Star reported . CNN 's Emanuella Grinberg contributed to this report .
NEW : Death Penalty Information Center says move sends message about need to reevaluate system . NEW : Emanuella Grinberg says he does not have confidence in justice system as it operates . 2,745 Democrat urged Richardson to sign bill ; 8,102 others opposed measure . Bill replaces the death penalty with life without the possibility of parole .