Self-defense.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Judiciary
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill, the Preemptive Self Defense Act of 2026, clarifies the circumstances under which a person can use self-defense. It states that a person may lawfully resist a public offense if they reasonably perceive an imminent threat of bodily harm and that the force used must be proportional to that threat. The bill also prohibits considering a person’s background, training, or fighting skills when determining whether their actions were reasonable in self-defense, and establishes that individuals who lawfully resist a public offense will not face civil liability.
Key provisions
- Clarifies that a reasonable belief of imminent bodily harm justifies self-defense.
- Prohibits considering a person’s background, training, or fighting skills when assessing self-defense.
- Specifies that resistance must be proportional to the perceived threat.
- States that resistance should cease when the threat is no longer present.
- Protects individuals who lawfully resist a public offense from civil liability.
- Defines ‘imminent threat of bodily harm’ as an action reasonably indicating an immediate physical attack.
Who is affected
- Individuals
- Spouses
- Children
- Parents
- Law enforcement
Notable changes
- Expands the scope of self-defense to include a ‘preemptive’ response to an imminent threat.
Bill text
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Sponsors
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1 on record
Primary sponsor
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