USA - Ohio. HB 663 approved by Ohio House. The legislation would shield the identities of execution-drug makers

HB 663 approved by Ohio House. The Ohio House approved legislation that would shield the identities of execution-drug makers, protect physicians who testify about executions, and void contracts banning sales of lethal-injection drugs to the state. House Bill 663 passed by a 61-25 vote, is an attempt to overcome problems that Ohio - like a number of other states - has had obtaining lethal-injection drugs. It would grant 20 years of anonymity, upon request, to small-scale drug manufacturers called compounding pharmacies when they create individual doses of lethal-injection drugs on demand. In addition, physicians who testify about the state's execution method couldn't have their state medical license revoked, and the bill would void contracts or agreements prohibiting the sale of lethal-injection drugs to the state. Attorney General Mike DeWine and other proponents of the reforms say they are needed if Ohio is to resume executions next February, once a court-ordered moratorium ends. Critics said the bill would throw a veil of secrecy over how Ohio executes people. They noted that lawsuits have been filed in 6 other states to overturn similar confidentiality laws for execution-drug manufacturers. The provision voiding agreements to ban drug sales may also violate the U.S. and Ohio constitutions' prohibition on impairing contracts, according to an analysis by the non-partisan Legislative Service Commission. The legislation now heads to the Ohio Senate, where Senate President Keith Faber, a Mercer County Republican, said there are worries about keeping secret the names of compounding pharmacies. "My members are very concerned about making sure that we have transparency," Faber told reporters Wednesday. "There's a lot of concern about shutting out public knowledge." Another proposed change in the bill would prevent the Ohio State Medical Board from revoking or suspending the license of any physician who provides expert testimony on the state's death penalty. Ohio has 139 death-row inmates, though currently only 11 have an execution date scheduled.