Arkansas legislature passes bill preventing disclosure of lethal injection drug ingredients News
HeungSoon / Pixabay
Arkansas legislature passes bill preventing disclosure of lethal injection drug ingredients

The Arkansas legislature passed a bill Wednesday that would ensure the confidentiality of certain capital offense procedures including the drug ingredients used in the state’s lethal injection.

After pharmaceutical companies faced backlash for their drug products ending up in lethal injection formulas, the Arkansas Department of Correction has been unable to obtain the ingredients from drug manufacturers. The three ingredients used in Arkansas’ lethal injection formula cannot currently be obtained and capital offense executions have been stalled. The legislation outlines what disclosures are still allowed, but mostly impose a felony offense and fine for anyone who leaks Department of Correction records concerning their lethal injection protocols.

Pharmaceutical companies have criticized the bill claiming that it should have a right to know if its drug products are being used in this manner by the state. Other opponents of the bill argue that this is a huge move away from transparency and might be worth a constitutional challenge.

In the meantime, the bill heads to Governor Asa Hutchinson for final approval.