Bruce D. Skaug

"Lethal injections for executions were unavailable for political means outside of our state, in our control," Skaug said. "So the backup plan was to have firing squad allowed, and it is a humane and speedy death. So as a backup, we passed a bill to that effect, that when pentobarbital or other means are not available for lethal injection, we could do the firing squad."

Republican lawmakers in Idaho have proposed a new law that would allow certain sex crimes against children to be punishable by death. The move positions the state to join Florida in adopting a controversial measure that conflicts directly with Supreme Court precedent saying such executions would violate the Eighth Amendment.

Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, introduced legislation Tuesday in the House State Affairs Committee that would create a minimum $420 fine for possession of any amount less than 3 ounces of the drug. The crime would be a misdemeanor.

“It's unfair that the attorney general has the authority to investigate elected officials who are county elected but not city elected,” said Rep. Bruce Skaug of Nampa.