USA - Arkansas. The House Judiciary Committee passed HB 1792

The House Judiciary Committee passed HB 1792 concerning the competency of a person awaiting execution for a capital offense. The bill alters the procedure for determining mental competency. When a prisoner raises a competency challenge, the Director of the Department of Correction holds a hearing and makes a determination of the prisoner's competency. If the individual is found incompetent due to mental illness, the Governor shall order that appropriate mental health treatment be provided. The Director of the Department of Correction may order a reevaluation of the competency of the individual as circumstances may warrant. When the Director of the Department of Correction is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that a female convict under sentence of death is pregnant, he or she shall suspend the execution until it appears that she is not pregnant or until she has delivered the child.