Austin, TX – Texas lawmakers are considering a bill that would require homeowners to “retreat” before using deadly force in certain situations.
Under Texas’ “castle doctrine,” citizens have the right to use deadly force to defend their “land or tangible, movable property,” KPRC reported.
House Bill 196, filed by Rep. Terry Meza (D-Irving) earlier this month, would require homeowners to be “unable to safely retreat” before they could legally use deadly force against a perpetrator.
Property owners would also no longer be able to use deadly force to stop aggravated robbery or robbery crimes under the bill, according to KPRC.
“A person who is in the person’s own habitation, who has not provoked the person against whom the deadly force is used, and who is not engaged in criminal activity at the time the deadly force is used is not required to retreat before using deadly force,” according to the proposed legislation.
Critics have accused Meza of trying to repeal the state’s “castle doctrine” by forcing people to surrender their property and flee before resorting deadly force.
But Meza said she is just trying to stop people from being so quick to shoot cri… (Read more)
My bill HB 196 and my position on the Texas Castle Doctrine has been misrepresented in the news as of late.
— Terry Meza (@TerryforTexas) November 19, 2020
It does not repeal the Castle Doctrine, and it does not restrict homeowners from using firearms in self-defense as applicable to current Texas stand your ground laws. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/CfDFJZedY0
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