RICHMOND – Gov. Tim Kaine vetoed a pair of bills today to broaden the death penalty by eliminating the state’s “triggerman rule."

Senate Bill 560 and House Bill 933, which are identical, would extend that eligibility for capital punishment to certain accomplices who share “the same intent” as the actual killer.

Despite arguments from the bill’s supporters, Kaine sees the bill as an expansion of the death penalty, which he opposes on moral grounds.

“Virginia is already second in the nation in the number of executions we carry out,” Kaine said in a press release. “While the nature of the offense targeted by this legislation is very serious, I do not believe that further expansion of the death penalty is necessary to protect human life.”

The Catholic Church has sought to end state-sanctioned executions, arguing they are no longer necessary because other nonlethal means are available to protect society.

When running for office in 2005, however, Kaine said despite his opposition to the death penalty, he would take his oath of office seriously and enforce the sanction. Since Kaine took office in 2006, Virginia has executed four people convicted of capital murder.

Kaine vetoed a pair of identical bills last year. The Virginia Senate upheld the veto by a two-vote margin after Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, who had voted for the bill during the regular session, switched and voted against it during the veto session.