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Idaho House approves bill making firing squad primary execution method
Summary
The Idaho House passed House Bill 37 to make the firing squad the state's primary method of execution, 58-11. Sponsors said the change would reduce appeals tied to lethal injection; opponents questioned cost and humane claims.
The Idaho House of Representatives passed House Bill 37 on Feb. 6, 2025, changing the state's primary method of execution to a firing squad. The measure passed 58-11 and will be transmitted to the Senate.
Sponsor Representative from District 10, speaking on the House floor, said the bill does not change whether Idaho has capital punishment but instead changes the method. “The firing squad is a more humane way to execute those on death row because it is quick, it is certain,” the sponsor said on the House floor, adding that the change would produce “fewer appellate issues” than lethal injection and fewer failed attempts.
The sponsor also told colleagues that the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) already has policies and procedures for the firing squad and estimated an initial remodeling cost of $750,000 to ready facilities; he later said additional internal funds could cover build-out and that the bill would not require a new appropriation from the general fund. A member of the House spoke against the bill citing fiscal concerns and noting other states’ successful lethal injection procedures; that member said new estimates put the facility cost “well over a million dollars.” Another member said the prospect of executing a woman by firing squad was not “humane.”
Floor debate included references to two inmates previously subject to prolonged appeals tied to questions about intravenous injection and the interaction of medications with that method. The sponsor said a mechanized firing-squad mechanism would be used rather than a lineup of shooters. The bill’s effective date was set to July 2026 to allow time for any remaining lethal injections to be carried out and to complete facility work.
The House’s roll call on the measure recorded 58 ayes and 11 nays; the clerk announced the bill would be transmitted to the Senate. The sponsor closed by asking colleagues to consider victims and their families when voting.
Votes at a glance: House Bill 37 — Passed, 58-11.
Background and context: The floor discussion referenced IDOC policy and prior failed attempts at lethal injection in Idaho. The sponsor cited opinions by federal judges and a U.S. Supreme Court justice characterizing firing squad execution as relatively more humane than some other methods. Opponents focused on cost and on whether lethal injection could be administered without the same complications.
