5/22/2017 - Oklahoma -- A House Bill that would allow Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections staff to handle drugs used in lethal injections has passed through the Oklahoma House of Representatives and is now headed to Governor Mary Fallin's desk for her signature.
HB 1679 exempts any corrections employee or anyone who participates in the execution process from the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act.
If passed, the bill would allow corrections staff to handle lethal injection drugs without first attaining medical licensing that is currently required by law.
Oklahoma has not performed an execution in over two-years - since the Jan. 2015 execution of Charles Frederick Warner.