Idaho Legislature passes controversial execution methods bill

By Kate Jacobson

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    BOISE, Idaho (KIVI) — A bill that revises the methods of capital punishment in Idaho to make a firing squad the primary method of execution has passed both the House and Senate.

House Bill 37 aims to change Idaho’s procedures for carrying out the death penalty. If signed into law, the bill will allow executions to be carried out via a firing squad or via lethal injection.

Under the new legislation, the director of the Department of Correction would need to certify within five days of a death warrant whether execution by firing squad is available. If certified, the firing squad would be the primary method. If lethal injection is available instead, it would become the default method.

However, the bill has seen its share of controversy, with critics arguing that the use of a firing squad raises ethical concerns.

If enacted, the new procedures would apply to all executions carried out on or after July 1, 2026, regardless of when the sentence was imposed. After final signatures from the House and Senate, the bill will be sent to Governor Little to either sign the bill into law or veto it.

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