USA - Louisiana. HB 258 to hide source of execution drugs killed by Senate panel

House Bill 258 to hide source of execution drugs killed by Senate panel. Senate Judiciary B Committee shot down a bid to cloak the source of execution drugs in strict secrecy, a proposal by State Rep. Nicholas Muscarello, R-Hammond framed as a way to restart executions in the state. But critics called it an attack on transparency, arguing it'd potentially allow state prison officials to buy execution drugs from shady sources without any outside oversight and make it extremely difficult to hold suppliers accountable if improperly mixed drugs caused a botched execution. The bill's death on a 3-to-2 vote (other sources say 5-3) in the Senate Judiciary B Committee. The House of Representatives passed the bill 68 to 31 on May 21. Eighteen other states have passed similar secrecy measures. Today’s vote likely ends debate over the death penalty in this year's legislative session without any changes to the current situation. Two separate proposals to abolish capital punishment both failed earlier in the session. A frustrated Muscarello after Tuesday's vote that he or another supporter would push a similar execution drug secrecy bill in the Louisiana Legislature again next year.