A bill that could pave the way for executions to restart in North Carolina has passed the legislature and is going to the governor. It would allow quicker changes to North Carolina's execution process and block information about the manufacturing of lethal injection drugs.
The House on Wednesday agreed with changes made by the Senate earlier this week allowing parts of the law to stand if one portion is struck down in court. Lawmakers supporting the bill say they expect lengthy legal challenges.
Democrats and death penalty opponents oppose a part of the bill clarifying that executions are exempt from the state's rule making process, which requires proposed changes go through the public input process.
The bill also ends a requirement that a doctor must supervise executions and administer lethal injections. Instead, other medical professionals, including nurses and physician's assistants, would be allowed to carry out the process. But a doctor would still be needed to certify death.
There are currently 148 people on death row in North Carolina. The state hasn't executed any inmates since 2006.
-The Associated Press also contributed to this report.
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