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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah's governor will not say if he'll sign a bill to bring back the firing squad but does say the method would give Utah a backup execution method.
Gov. Gary Herbert's spokesman Marty Carpenter issued a statement about the bill Tuesday in response to questions from reporters.
Utah's Senate is set to cast a final vote on the bill this week. It would call for a firing squad if lethal injection drugs cannot be obtained 30 days before an execution.
Republican Rep. Paul Ray says the aim of his firing squad bill is to give Utah an option as states struggle to obtain lethal injection drugs amid a nationwide shortage.
Carpenter says Utah will use all reasonable and legal ways to try to obtain lethal injection drugs in the future.
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