Criminal Procedure - As introduced, specifies that for purposes of carrying out a sentence of death, lethal injection protocol may include the use of pharmaceutical fentanyl. - Amends TCA Title 40.

HB 1022 amends Tennessee law to explicitly permit the use of pharmaceutical fentanyl in lethal injection protocols for carrying out death sentences. This change directly affects individuals sentenced to death in Tennessee, allowing correctional officials to include fentanyl as part of the execution method. The bill adds a new subsection to Tennessee Code Annotated Section 40-23-114, specifying that lethal injection protocols "may include" fentanyl. The policy change takes effect on July 1, 2025, for most purposes.