California Lawmaker Pulls Bill Designed to Restrict Use of Deadly Force in Self-Defense

March 14, 2025 TruthUSA

The sponsor of Assembly Bill 1333 claims that misinformation has caused misunderstandings surrounding the legislation.

A Democratic Assemblyman has retracted a proposal submitted this year that aimed to limit the use of lethal force in self-defense situations.

Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, hailing from Hollywood, withdrew Assembly Bill 1333, which was backed by the pro-gun control organization Everytown for Gun Safety, on March 12, attributing the decision to the spread of misleading information.

“We have collaborated closely with legal partners and gun safety advocates to find the right balance between protecting victims from armed vigilantes in public spaces and preserving the right to self-defense,” Zbur stated in a statement released on Wednesday. “Regrettably, misleading information has incited fear and confusion regarding the bill.”

The assemblyman clarified that the bill was intended to close “a dangerous legal loophole that might permit armed aggressors to instigate confrontations in public, kill their victims, and then misuse self-defense laws to evade responsibility.”

He emphasized that the proposal did not alter the long-established castle doctrine, despite what some critics had suggested. The castle doctrine, commonly referred to as the “stand your ground” principle, permits an individual to use deadly force to safeguard their home and its residents from intruders, without an obligation to retreat.

According to the text of the legislation, the bill would have limited the use of lethal force when an individual was outside their home and was aware that using force likely to result in death or serious bodily injury could have been avoided by retreating safely, along with other restrictions.

Former State Senator Melissa Melendez from Lake Elsinore praised the bill’s withdrawal.

“Kudos to my fellow Californians, AB1333 has been retracted!” the Republican posted on X. “And it wasn’t due to ‘misleading information.’ The bill was fundamentally flawed.”

Fresno Assemblyman David Tangipa, a new Republican, also shared his agreement with the decision to withdraw the bill on Thursday.

“When we unite against this, we WIN! AB 1333 has officially been withdrawn. Thanks to everyone who raised their voice against this legislation!” he wrote on X.

Numerous state and local officials opposed the bill last week, including Assemblyman Tom Lackey.

The Republican from Southern California’s high desert region criticized the bill as a “total attack on self-defense” in a social media post on February 25.

“Picture this: A violent intruder breaks into your home, and you must reconsider whether defending your family is ‘justifiable,’” Lackey articulated in his post. “The misguided rationale behind this proposal is utterly perplexing.”

The sponsor of the bill, Everytown for Gun Safety, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

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