House approves redo of lethal-injection law

By The Associated Press

Posted: February 19, 2013 at 2:25 p.m.

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LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Legislature has approved a rewrite of the state's lethal-injection law after it was thrown out by the state Supreme Court last year.

House lawmakers on Tuesday voted 89-1 in favor of the measure, which spells out in greater detail the procedures the state must follow in carrying out executions. The bill that the state must use a lethal dose of a barbiturate but leaves it up to the Department of Correction to determine which one.

The legislation now heads to Gov. Mike Beebe, who has said he'll sign the legislation despite his misgivings about the death penalty.

If the bill becomes law, Arkansas could resume capital punishment but court challenges could further delay the state from executing a prisoner for the first time since 2005.

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