HCS HB 820 -- DEATH PENALTY EXECUTION TEAM

SPONSOR:  Kelly (Moore)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Corrections and Public Institutions by a vote of 7 to 0.

This substitute requires the Director of the Department of
Corrections to select an execution team consisting of medical
support personnel and individuals who administer lethal gas or
chemicals.  Team member identities are to be kept confidential,
and the departmental record of team members is privileged and not
subject to discovery, subpoena, or other means of legal
compulsion.

Any person who knowingly discloses the identity of a current or
former member of an execution team without the director's direct
consent will be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

Any licensing board or department is prohibited from sanctioning
a professional license belonging to an execution team member due
to his or her lawful participation in an execution.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of More than
$100,000 in FY 2008, FY 2009, and FY 2010.  No impact on Other
State Funds in FY 2008, FY 2009, and FY 2010.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill is needed to provide
protection to the members of the execution team and their
families from retaliation and ridicule.  The bill also provides
license protection for health professionals who participate in
executions.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Moore; and Department
of Corrections.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that nothing should
prohibit the disclosure of the disbursement of public funds, and
it takes away all public oversight.  The public should be able to
make sure that the people on an execution team are competent to
ensure that the executions are carried out humanely.

Testifying against the bill were Missouri Association of Criminal
Defense Lawyers; Jeff Stack, Missourians to Abolish the Death
Penalty; and Missouri Catholic Conference.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say that the Department of
Corrections should not establish policy.  Its duty is to uphold
the laws of the state, and there is a need to protect state
employees and families.

Testifying on the bill were Department of Corrections; and
Missouri Corrections Officers Association.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:20 am