The Arkansas House has approved a bill authorizing nitrogen gas as a method of execution, with hopes of resuming capital punishment in the state. The legislation was proposed by Republican Rep. Jeff Wardlaw following a mass shooting in his district. The bill has garnered support in the Senate as well.
Arkansas has not executed anyone since 2017, and drug manufacturers’ opposition to lethal injection drugs has hindered the resumption of executions. With 25 inmates on death row, the state is seeking alternative methods for carrying out capital punishment.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has not indicated whether she will sign the legislation if it reaches her desk. Critics are raising concerns about the secrecy surrounding executions and the use of nitrogen gas, which they view as an experimental method. Legal challenges are expected, particularly following concerns about nitrogen executions in Alabama.
Despite efforts to add nitrogen as an execution option, experts and attorneys predict that there will be significant litigation and debate surrounding the use of this method in Arkansas. The Death Penalty Information Center’s executive director, Robin Maher, has voiced skepticism about this shift in execution protocol.
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