Bill to bring back the electric chair on its way to Tennessee governor

photo The execution chamber at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, shown in this file photo, has a gurney used for lethal injections and an electric chair.

NASHVILLE -- A bill allowing Tennessee to resume executing convicted murders through electrocution is on its way to Gov. Bill Haslam.

Senators voted 23-3 to concur with a minor House amendment.

Under the bill, lethal injection would remain the preferred method of execution. But in the event the drugs needed were unavailable or lethal injections were found unconstitutional by a court, the state would have a standby.

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