A bill meant to strengthen an individual’s right to use deadly force to defend themselves or others was the subject of a Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday. Currently, the state’s “castle doctrine” permits an person to use deadly force to defend themselves or others against an assailant in their home or workplace, if there is a reasonable and good faith reason to believe that there is an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury.
Senator Brian Hardin of Gering introduced LB 1269 would expand the law to include personal vehicles and public places. It also would provide criminal and civil protections for individuals who use force in self-defense. Similar laws in other states commonly are referred to as “stand your ground” laws.
The proposal would repeal the existing “duty to retreat,” or flee a situation if safe to do so, before using force. Hardin said the duty to retreat forces a person to make a split-second decision in a dangerous situation, which he said creates an “unrealistic expectation.”
“The main goal of LB1269 is to provide an avenue to ensure that an individual who is already a victim of a crime, and had to use deadly force in self-defense, is not also victimized by the legal system,” Hardin said.
There were plenty of supporters and opponents of the bill that testified during the hearing.
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