Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves
 

Before, even if you were justified in shooting somebody in self defense you could be sued in civil court. This law now protects those individuals.

Anybody care to share their thoughts on this law?



Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves


SB 378 Permits Texans to Use Deadly Force in Self Defense
Mar. 27, 2007

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today signed into law Senate Bill 378, extending Texans’ rights to use deadly force for means of self-defense, without retreat, in their home, vehicle or workplace. The law takes effect Sept. 1, 2007.

“The right to defend oneself from an imminent act of harm should not only be clearly defined in Texas law, but is intuitive to human nature,” said Gov. Perry. “Today, I am proud to sign the Castle Law which allows Texans to not only protect themselves from criminals, but to receive the protection of state law when circumstances dictate that they use deadly force.

“I thank Senator Jeff Wentworth, Representative Joe Driver and the Texas Legislature for their dedication to ensuring Texans’ rights to self-defense.”

In 1995, the Texas Legislature created an exception to a 1973 statute, which required a person to retreat in the face of a criminal attack. The exception allowed a person to use force without retreat when an intruder unlawfully entered their home. Senate Bill 378 extends a person’s right to stand their ground beyond the home to vehicles and workplaces, allowing the reasonable use of deadly force when an intruder is:

Committing certain violent crimes, such as murder or sexual assault, or is attempting to commit such crimes;

Unlawfully trying to enter a protected place; or

Unlawfully trying to remove a person from a protected place.

The law also provides civil immunity for a person who lawfully uses deadly force in the above circumstances. The use of deadly force is not lawful when it is used to provoke or if a crime other than a Class C misdemeanor is committed by the victim.



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RE: Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves
 

The "Castle" law has been in effect for almost half a year now... but, I'm for it! Nobody should have to feel insecure on/in their own property. I also hope more States adopt this law as well.

RE: Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves
 

Thank God, they haven't lost their minds in Texas like the rest of the country!

Don't mess w/ Texas or Texans. God Bless'em. Well, looks like I might have a place of refuge inside the borders of this great country before having to exile myself for those who are all too excited about criminals' rights and could give a rat's A about the victims'.

Again, Kudos, Texas now go out and invade the other states' colleges in the form of Poli Sci and Law professors!

RE: Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves
 

Jeremiah, that story is from March 2007. Are you trying to bring us the LATEST news? :D

RE: Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves
 

Here's something i got about the "Gun-Safe Buildings"

By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Tuesday, December 11, 2007 4:20 PM PT
Second Amendment: As the Supreme Court ponders what the Constitution means, a volunteer security guard in Colorado shows that the problem with society may not be who has guns, but who doesn't.

Every time there are multiple shootings, like those that occurred over the weekend at the Youth With A Mission missionary training center in Arvada, Colo., and later at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, we are lectured about the easy access to firearms in the U.S. and the dangers it creates.
But many are thankful today that Jeanne Assam, a volunteer security guard at New Life, had easy access to a gun when Matthew Murray entered the east entrance of the church and began firing his rifle. Murray was carrying two handguns, an assault rifle and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
If Jeanne Assam had not had a gun at her side, dozens more might have died in Sunday's shooting at New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
Assam, who worked as a police officer in downtown Minneapolis in the 1990s and is licensed to carry a weapon, shot Murray. Had she not done so, more than two would have been killed at the church that day. Two others had been killed by Murray at Arvada. New Life's senior pastor Brady Boyd said Assam's actions saved the lives of 50 to 100 people.
Last February, another disturbed young man from war-torn Bosnia entered the Trolley Square Mall in Ogden, Utah, and began shooting, killing five people. Utah is a right-to-carry (RTC) state but lets property owners post signs proclaiming an exception on their premises.
A sign posted in the mall reminded people that concealed carry permit holders could not bring their weapons inside. Trolley Square was a gun-free zone, except for predators. Fortunately, inside the mall was an off-duty Ogden police officer, who was carrying a concealed weapon in violation of the law, and was the first to trade shots with the gunman. He is credited with preventing the murder of more innocent victims.
Unfortunately, he was at the opposite end of the mall and on another floor when the shooting started. If concealed carry permit holders were allowed to take their firearms into the mall, maybe those five could have been spared or even defended themselves.
Gun-control advocates argue that allowing people to carry guns encourages their reckless use.
But despite dire warnings by RTC critics, neighbors aren't routinely offing neighbors and bodies aren't piling up like cordwood across America in one huge Gunfight at the OK Corral.
Since 1991, according to NRAILA.org, 23 more states have adopted RTC laws for a total of 40. The number of privately owned firearms has risen by nearly 70 million and violent crime is down 38%. In 2005, RTC states had, on average, a 22% lower violent crime rate, 30% lower murder rate, 46% lower robbery rate and 12% lower aggravated assault rate.
Like Trolley Square, Westroads Mall in Omaha, Neb., where eight people were gunned down recently was also a gun-free zone. So was Virginia Tech, where a gunmen killed 32 people in two attacks hours apart.
This Colorado incident comes as the Supreme Court hears an appeal of a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Parker v. District of Columbia. The ruling struck down D.C.'s draconian ban on the private ownership of firearms as a violation of the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms.
The D.C. court ruled, among other findings, that the Second Amendment's placement high in the Bill of Rights makes it, and the right to self-defense, along with speech and religion, etc., an individual right.
We think Jeanne Assam and the people she saved would agree.

RE: Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves
 

I'll have to check out how far my retirement dollars will go in Texas. We were planning on retiring in the NC/TN area because of the lower COL there. BUT now that Texas has extended the self-defense protection to civil actions, that sounds even more appealing.

I live in upstate NY - second most liberal state in the country. It takes the average citizen (who qualifies) 18 months to get a pistol permit in NY (outside of the "Five Burroughs" - regular NYS pistol permits are not valid in NYC).
You can be turned down for any number of reasons during the application process. The most common reason for being denied a pistol permit in NY is "omission of facts, or false statements on the application".
Once you HAVE your permit in NY, ANY Judge can revoke it at any time.
It took me 6 months to get my permit. I have no past arrests or convictions of any kind, have a clean drivers' license (yes, they check that), no disputes with neighbors at the time of application (yes, the Cops talk to your neighbors and ask their opinion of you during the "background check process"), answered the questions completely and honestly, and knew a few officers on the P.D. that processed my application and helped move it through a little quicker than the average.
After/if you get through the application and background process, you get an interview with a State Supreme Court Judge. They're the only ones who can approve a permit. When I went for my interview, the file that he had on me (and again, I have never been arrested, have not so much as a parking ticket, and have never been sued/fired/dishonorably discharged from the Military) was over two inches thick!
He approved my application. I am "permitted" to carry concealed, and restricted to carrying for "hunting and target shooting only". Of course, I ALWAYS have targets and earphones/muffs in my car in case I get a chance to stop at the range on the way to/from work. Otherwise, the only place I can "posess" my pistols is at my home.
I am not "authorized" to use my handgun for personal protection or to stave off a home invasion (that's what I have the shotgun for). Additionally, I am not allowed to even "show" the pistol as a deterrant, lest I be cited for "brandishing a firearm" and could lose my permit, my pistols and all of my other firearms, as well as answer a felony charge.

I believe if you break into my home or my car with "bad intentions" and I didn't invite you in there, I should have the right to escort you back out of my house, be it on a stretcher or in a body bag.
"You can run, .... you'll just die tired!".
Yes, Texas is looking better and better.

RE: Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves
 

While the Castle law is almost a year old most people are clueless as to what it is.

Actually I just wanted to talk about the Castle law and how many other states it was impacting. The article was short and to the point. It is coming to light because of the recent incident in Pasadena Texas.

RE: Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves
 

If you are trying to talk me into moving to Texas, your certainly doing an effective job of doing it. IL pretty much won't let you defend yourself even with rubber bullets until its pretty much too late, but what do you expect. Look at who runs the state and it explains a lot. Rod is clueless.

RE: Gov. Perry Signs Law Allowing Texans to Protect Themselves
 

Come on down and we will let you pack some heat?

I think that was out of a movie. :D