Death Sentence Choice; Firing Squad
Summary
Arizona SB1751 passed the Senate on March 18, 2026, amending state law to authorize firing squad as an execution method for capital punishment. The bill requires the Department of Corrections to establish protocols for a three-person firing squad and provides condemned inmates with the choice between lethal injection and firing squad. The legislation passed with a 16-9 Senate vote after committee review.
What changed
Arizona enacted SB1751, adding firing squad as a legally authorized method of execution under state capital punishment law. The bill specifically addresses the mechanics of execution protocol, requiring the Department of Corrections to maintain written procedures and a list of officers willing to serve on the firing squad. Condemned inmates facing execution are provided a choice between lethal injection and firing squad, with firing squad serving as the default method if lethal injection is unavailable or unconstitutional.
County sheriffs and the Department of Corrections must prepare for implementation by developing the required protocols and identifying personnel. The bill has already passed both chambers and been transmitted to the House, making it binding state law. Legal challenges based on constitutionality of lethal injection may increase reliance on firing squad as an alternative method. Criminal justice stakeholders should monitor for updated Department of Corrections procedures and potential litigation.
What to do next
- Await Department of Corrections rulemaking establishing firing squad protocols
- Review existing lethal injection procedures for constitutional vulnerabilities
- Update death penalty defense strategies to advise clients on method selection
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Arizona / SB1751 Passed SB1751 Senate Bill Passed 2026-03-18
Death sentence; choice; firing squad.
Bill Details
State Arizona
Session Fifty-seventh Legislature - Second Regular Session (2026)
Chamber Senate
Official Source apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/85411
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Sponsors
Kevin Payne (Sen - R)
Action History
2026-03-31 H House minority caucus: Do pass 2026-03-31 H House majority caucus: Do pass 2026-03-30 H House consent calendar 2026-03-30 H House RULES Committee action: constitutional and in proper form, voting: (8-0-0-0-0-0) 2026-03-26 H House JUD Committee action: Do Pass, voting: (6-2-1-1-0-0) 2026-03-24 H House read second time 2026-03-23 H Assigned to House RULES Committee 2026-03-23 H Assigned to House JUD Committee 2026-03-23 H Introduced in House and read first time 2026-03-18 H Transmit to House 2026-03-18 S Senate third reading PASSED voting: (16-9-5-0) 2026-03-03 S Senate Committee of the Whole action: Do Pass Amended 2026-02-25 S Senate minority caucus: Do pass 2026-02-23 S Senate majority caucus: Do pass 2026-02-23 S Senate consent calendar 2026-02-23 S Senate RULES Committee action: Proper For Consideration, voting: (5-4-0-0) 2026-02-18 S Senate PS Committee action: Do Pass, voting: (4-3-0-0) 2026-02-09 S Senate read second time 2026-02-05 S Assigned to Senate RULES Committee 2026-02-05 S Assigned to Senate PS Committee 2026-02-05 S Introduced in Senate and read first time
Votes
2026-02-18 Senate Public Safety Committee Action (DP) Yea: 4 Nay: 3 2026-02-23 Senate Rules Committee Action (PFC) Yea: 5 Nay: 4 2026-03-03 Senate - Committee of the Whole (DPA) Yea: 0 Nay: 0 2026-03-18 Senate - Third Reading Yea: 16 Nay: 9 2026-03-26 House Judiciary Committee Action (DP) Yea: 6 Nay: 2 2026-03-30 House Rules Committee Action (C&P) Yea: 8 Nay: 0
Committee Referrals
2026-02-05 S Public Safety 2026-02-05 S Rules 2026-03-18 H Judiciary 2026-03-23 H Rules
Amendments
2026-03-03 SENATE - Payne flr amend (ref Bill) adopted Adopted 0000-00-00 Senate COW 03/03 - Payne flr amend (ref Bill)
Bill Text Versions
2026-02-02 Introduced 2026-03-03 Engrossed
Subjects
Capital Punishment Choice Conditional Enactment Criminal Code - Title 13 Death Sentence Firing Squad Method Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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