House OKs bill to keep lethal injection drug source secret

By KEITH RIDLER

Associated Press

BOISE — The House on Thursday approved legislation that would bar Idaho officials from releasing where they obtain the drugs used in lethal injection executions.

The House voted 38-30 to send the measure to the Senate.

The Idaho Department of Corrections has long tried to keep details about where and how it obtains lethal injection drugs secret, but the bill from Caldwell Republican Rep. Greg Chaney would make that secrecy part of state law.

Chaney said the legislation is needed because anti-death penalty advocates use the information to publicly shame companies that provide the drugs. He said some drug suppliers have refused to sell to Idaho without a promise of anonymity.

Chaney said courts have upheld Idaho's death penalty, but “a new strategy has emerged in fighting the death penalty, and that is to name and shame the providers and the participants in that process.”

He said not keeping such information secret would essentially end the death penalty in Idaho. He said the proposed law allows disclosing the qualifications of those involved in carrying out executions, but not their identity.

Democratic Rep. Colin Nash argued against the bill.

“The government shouldn't have the right to kill people using secret means, methods and practices,” he said.