SACRAMENTO, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office says California's execution protocol could be OK'd by a state panel within a year, clearing the way to resume executions.
Schwarzenegger and his lawyers say they will submit revised lethal injection protocols for administrative and public review rather than continue appealing a Marin County judge's decision that the rules were drafted illegally, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
Approval of the protocol under the Administrative Procedures Act would clear the way for a federal judge to lift a 2006 moratorium on executions in the state. California has 680 prisoners on death row and last executed a prisoner in 2005.
The moratorium forced California's Department of Corrections to redraft its procedures for lethal injection to ensure proper doses and improve staff training, the Times reported.
Lawyers for death row inmates challenged the revised rules, saying administrative procedures for changing state policy hadn't been properly followed.
Schwarzenegger recently said he would resume executions "immediately" once administrative and legal obstacles are removed, the Times reported.
