LITTLE ROCK, AR – Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders this past week said she is taking a measured approach to restarting executions in Arkansas, after recently signing a law that authorizes nitrogen gas as a method of capital punishment.
According to Associated Press and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas is now the fifth state to legalize the use of nitrogen in executions.
In a joint interview with Associated Press and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Sanders said she has no set timeline for resuming executions, underscoring the seriousness of such decisions and noting, “I’m certainly not rushing to take action on that. We will be very thoughtful and deliberate as we go through the process.”
The state has not executed an inmate since 2017, when it carried out four executions before its supply of lethal injection drugs expired. Advocates for the new nitrogen method cited the inability to procure more of those drugs due to manufacturers’ opposition to their use in capital punishment, wrote AP.
Sanders, whose father Mike Huckabee oversaw 16 executions while serving as governor from 1996 to 2007, said that family experience provides her with a deeper understanding of the weight such decisions carry, reported Associated Press and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Sanders said, “Anytime you are the person sitting on the chair whose name goes on the line, it makes the decision a lot different.”
While cautious on capital punishment, Sanders remains firm on criminal justice infrastructure, said AP, noting the governor defended her proposal to build a 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County.
Sanders argued the facility is necessary to relieve overcrowding in state prisons and reduce the number of inmates held in county jails, telling AP and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “The new prison is definitely a priority, and I’m confident that we’ll get it done.”
Despite local backlash over the purchase of 815 acres for the prison, Sanders dismissed alternatives such as constructing smaller facilities in various locations. Critics have questioned the site’s suitability and raised concerns about the estimated $825 million cost, said AP and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Sanders responded, “We know we need it, we know there is an overwhelming majority that supports it and we’re going to keep moving forward.”
Turning to fiscal policy, Sanders left open the possibility of a special legislative session on income tax cuts after the current fiscal year ends on June 30. According to The Associated Press and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Sanders quipped, “I would say nothing’s off the table at this point.”
Since taking office, Sanders has pushed for reductions in the state income tax, and while she held off on additional cuts during the last session, lawmakers did approve her plan to eliminate the sales tax on groceries. The recently passed budget, which increases spending by nearly three percent, gives her confidence to pursue further tax reforms.
The Associated Press and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette write Sanders stated, “By not having significant, out-of-control increases, that puts us in position to continue chipping away and responsibly phasing it out.”
Sanders also reaffirmed her support for maintaining Arkansas’ Medicaid expansion, which was recently reauthorized but remains vulnerable to potential federal cuts. Arkansas has a trigger law that would terminate its expansion if the federal government reduces its matching rate.
The Associated Press and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette wrote Sanders stated, “We’re in no position or do we want to be in a place where our program disappears”, adding that Arkansas will “always want to have a seat at the table when it’s something that will impact our state.”
