The Detention Reform and Offender Penalties Act of 2026, or DROP Act, modifies federal law regarding the implementation of a sentence of death. It expands the legal framework for execution methods by allowing them to be prescribed by Federal law or State law , rather than solely by State law. Specifically, the bill permits the use of lethal injection or hanging as methods of execution. It mandates that the United States Marshals Service, in consultation with the Attorney General and qualified medical and correctional officials, establish written protocols for these methods within 180 days of enactment. Additionally, the Attorney General is required to revise existing federal regulations to align with these new provisions.
The Detention Reform and Offender Penalties Act of 2026, or DROP Act, modifies federal law regarding the implementation of a sentence of death. It expands the legal framework for execution methods by allowing them to be prescribed by Federal law or State law , rather than solely by State law. Specifically, the bill permits the use of lethal injection or hanging as methods of execution. It mandates that the United States Marshals Service, in consultation with the Attorney General and qualified medical and correctional officials, establish written protocols for these methods within 180 days of enactment. Additionally, the Attorney General is required to revise existing federal regulations to align with these new provisions.