Today the Senate of Virginia voted in favor of a bill that would shroud Virginia’s lethal injection process in secrecy.
Senate Bill 1393 (Sen. Saslaw) would allow the Department of Corrections to contract with compounding pharmacies to make up drugs for use in lethal injection and would exempt from public disclosure laws the manufacturer of and the materials and components used to create the drugs.
The bill is part of Governor McAuliffe’s legislative package and is being actively lobbied by the Department of Corrections and the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.
“This bill prevents the public and the press from knowing anything about the drugs (their source, materials, or components) used in an execution,” said Frank Knaack, ACLU of Virginia Director of Public Policy and Communications. “The awesome power of the government to kill in our name must be accompanied by transparency and accountability, both of which would go away if this bill becomes law.”
The bill will now move to the House of Delegates for consideration.
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