JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia offered a Senate amendment to Senate Bill 663, which was adopted by the Senate on April 27. The amendment deals with lawful individuals’ rights to stand their ground.
The amendment states that, “A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity does not have a duty to retreat from any place he or she has the right to be.” The legislation the amendment modifies deals with multiple provisions relating to law enforcement officers, land description preparations, court funds, circuit courts, crime, civil actions and public defenders. Senate Bill 663 has been third read and passed in the Senate.
“Our second amendment rights should not end at the threshold to our homes,” Sen. Schaefer said. “As Americans, we should have the right to defend ourselves and our loved ones against threats to our lives, wherever we might be.”
Current Missouri law allows individuals to use deadly force to defend themselves from serious or fatal injury and against forcible felonies. However, this right only applies to private property like a home, a car or a business owned by the individual. Senator Schaefer’s amendment would expand the lawful use of deadly force as a form of self-protection to public areas as well private property, eliminating the duty to retreat from places like public streets and parking garages.
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