FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — A new bill introduced by Indiana State Rep. Bob Morris is reigniting debate at the Statehouse over the future of the death penalty and how executions are carried out in Indiana. Morris discussed the proposal during an appearance on Fort Wayne’s Morning News with Kayla B lakeslee on WOWO Radio, where he said the legislation is designed to add accountability, transparency, and an additional safeguard against wrongful executions. “This legislation will put legislators in charge of the execution — members of the General Assembly,” Morris said during the interview. How the Bill Would Change the Process Under current Indiana law, Morris explained that once all appeals are exhausted, the Attorney General notifies the Department of Correction. From there, the DOC commissioner assembles a volunteer execution team made up of department employees. “The same volunteers that actually feed, clothe, and make sure that these prisoners are housed appropriately,” Morris said. “And then the execution takes place.” Morris’ bill would significantly alter that process. Instead of relying on DOC volunteers, the Department of Correction commissioner would request a specific number of volunteers from the Indiana General Assembly. “If that number is not met,” Morris said, “that prisoner will live a life in prison without the possibility of parole.” Motivation Behind the Legislation Asked by Blakeslee what problem the bill is intended to solve, Morris framed the issue in moral terms and pointed to the risk of executing innocent people. “You hear stories like this regularly — that a prisoner was wrongfully executed,” Morris said. “And I’m a pro-life legislator. One thing is for certain: if you take someone’s life, you’re not bringing that life back.” Morris said involving lawmakers directly would force elected officials to confront the gravity of capital punishment. “I want those members to actually look at the case as well and offer one more set of eyes on it,” he said. Public Transparency a Key Feature One of the most controversial elements of the bill is that the list of legislators who volunteer to participate in executions would be made public. “So many legislators say that they’re pro-death penalty,” Morris said. “If they’re pro-death penalty, they can put their name on the list — and that list will be public.” He added that the names of the execution team members would also be made public, something he says does not happen under the current system. “Right now, you don’t know who is on the execution team,” Morris said. Concerns About Execution Methods Morris also raised concerns about the technical and ethical challenges involved in carrying out executions, particularly lethal injection. “Department of Corrections members will rehearse regularly to ensure that they get the execution correct,” he said. “And what I mean by that is today, we use lethal injection.” He cited a recent execution attempt in Idaho as an example of what he described as a failure of the system. “They actually stabbed a person dozens and dozens of times to try to kill them. They could not kill them,” Morris said. “They walked that prisoner back to his cell and revisited how they were going to kill that prisoner.” Morris said those realities reinforce his belief that lawmakers should not assign a task they are unwilling to perform themselves. “I don’t believe the way I was raised to give someone a job that you don’t want to do yourself,” he said. Responding to Critics Blakeslee noted that some critics have characterized the proposal as symbolic rather than practical. Morris rejected that notion, reiterating his opposition to the death penalty. “I’m against the death penalty, and many members of the Assembly are against the death penalty,” he said. “Those members that are for the death penalty — go ahead and carry it out.” Morris also pushed back against arguments that executions serve as a deterrent, pointing to historical practices and modern incarceration standards. “We can actually house these prisoners today,” he said. “They can live a life in prison and not escape.” Wrongful Convictions Central to Debate Morris said his position has been shaped in part by his own visit to Indiana’s death row and by conversations with legal advocates. “I have visited death row here in Indiana. It’s a very secure facility,” he said. He also cited ongoing efforts by the University of Notre Dame Law School to overturn wrongful convictions. “They still regularly just want another case to get someone who was wrongfully accused off of death row,” Morris said. “How horrible it is when you execute someone who did not do the crime — that’s really what we need to look at.” What’s Next for the Bill The legislation is currently assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. Morris said he has had extensive conversations with committee leadership and fellow lawmakers. “Chairman McNamara and I have spoke extensively,” Morris said. “Representative Chris Judy is on the legislation, Representative Mark Genda, as well as Kyle Pierce.” Morris said he hopes the bill will be scheduled for a hearing soon as discussions continue among House members. Morris is expected to return to Fort Wayne’s Morning News with Kayla Blakeslee on WOWO Radio next week to continue the conversation. 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