Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Florida's ‘Stand your ground’ Could Be Tweaked

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Wikimedia Commons
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

The Florida Senate passed a bill that would tweak the state's "stand your ground" law to make it clear residents don't have to be attacked before using force against someone threatening them in their home.

The bill passed on a 22-15 vote Thursday. Republican Sen. David Simmons said his bill was simply a clarification and didn't substantially change the intent of the law.

Still, it was opposed by Democrats who think "stand your ground" itself is a bad law.

The bill removes the word "attacked" and adds language that residents in their home can use force, including deadly force, if they reasonably believe they or others are in danger of death or great bodily harm.

A similar House bill still has one committee stop before it can be heard by the full chamber.