Ohio bill shielding names of companies that provide lethal injection drugs clears Legislature

An Ohio bill that would shield the names of companies that provide the state with lethal injection drugs has cleared its Legislature.

Supporters say such confidentiality is necessary to obtain supplies of the drugs, and the measure is needed to restart Ohio's executions. But opponents say it's naive to think the bill can truly protect companies' names from being revealed.

The Ohio House approved the measure Wednesday as lawmakers finished work for the two-year legislative session. The Senate passed it last week.

A prosecutor has said he expects the legislation to spur lawsuits, making it impossible to carry out the February execution of a condemned child killer as planned.

The bill heads now to Republican Gov. John Kasich (KAY'-sik).