House Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes revisions to the laws governing the death penalty in Montana. The bill amends Section 46-19-103 of the Montana Code Annotated to specify that the method of execution must involve the administration of "an intravenous injection of a substance or substances in a lethal quantity sufficient to cause death." This replaces the previous requirement for a "continuous" injection of an ultra-fast-acting barbiturate in combination with a chemical paralytic agent. The bill maintains the existing framework for setting execution dates, the responsibilities of the warden, and the protocols for witness observation during executions.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that the execution must be performed by a person selected by the warden who is trained to administer lethal injections, without the necessity for that person to hold medical licensure. It also stipulates that the execution can be observed by a limited number of witnesses from various groups, including media and family members, while allowing the Department of Corrections to reject witnesses deemed a risk to safety or likely to disrupt the proceedings. The rejection of a witness does not provide grounds for delaying the execution.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 46-19-103
HB0205_1(1): 46-19-103
HB0205_1(2): 46-19-103
HB0205_1(3): 46-19-103
HB0205_1(4): 46-19-103
HB0205_1(5): 46-19-103
HB0205_1: 46-19-103