Weekly Spotlight 3/14/25 – 3/21/25
California Legislature Weighing Dangerous Legislation That Would Compromise The Right To Self-Defense In California
“Duty To Retreat” Law Would Put Law-Abiding Gun Owners And Their Families In Danger In Most Vulnerable Moments
Across the country, anti-gun state lawmakers continue to launch attacks on Americans’ gun rights. Among the most egregious measures is California AB 1333, introduced by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, which would see Californians forced to flee their homes before defending themselves.
AB 1333 would eliminate California’s existing “no duty to retreat” protection currently in place to protect individuals who find themselves in a situation where they must defend themself. Instead, the bill would establish that, for an act of self-defense to qualify as such in California legally, the victim of a home invasion or attack would have to prove there were no other options but to use lethal force before resorting to using a firearm. Victims would therefore be required to retreat and even flee their property before being able to exercise their right to defend themselves legally.
The standard set by AB 1333 implies that victims of attacks or invasions have a legal obligation to retreat from their homes before acting, rather than what should be a constitutional right to defend themselves. This flies in the face of the Second Amendment.
Just as many other misguided attempts at gun control, this legislation will not meaningfully address gun violence and will only make law-abiding citizens less safe. AB 1333 fails to account for real-world scenarios and will foster danger and uncertainty for victims threatened by intruders. As anyone who has been the victim of a violent attack or intruder knows, such out-of-touch standards are not rooted in reality, and favor aggressive criminals; not law-abiding citizens.
AB 1333 would pose a significant threat to the Second Amendment, and to the Constitutional right of every Californian to defend themself. All Second Amendment advocates and responsible Californians and Americans must join together to oppose this dangerous bill and ensure that Californians’ right to self-defense is not stripped away.
Just as we saw in Colorado earlier this year, Second Amendment advocates and law-abiding gun owners must quickly organize to make their voices heard. If not, lawmakers will continue to press forward in pursuit of their anti-gun agenda without hearing from gun-rights advocates.
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OTHER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Office of U.S. Congressman Michael Cloud: RELEASE: Cloud Introduces Bill To Prevent Federal Gun Control Through Emergency Declarations
Congressman Michael Cloud (R-TX) introduced the Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act to block the federal government from exploiting national emergencies as a backdoor for unconstitutional gun control measures. In June 2024, the Biden Administration’s U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory declaring firearm violence a “public health crisis.” This advisory was a thinly veiled attempt to justify radical gun control measures—including public carry bans, firearm confiscation, so-called “assault weapon” bans, magazine capacity limits, strict storage mandates, and a national gun registry.
Two new bills filed in the Alabama House of Representatives by State Rep. Ernie Yarbrough (R-Trinity) would bolster the state’s self-defense provisions and place a statewide ban on enforcing so-called red flag laws. Yarbrough’s bills deal with a similar theme: Alabamians’ Second Amendment rights. Yarbrough has already filed legislation to give citizens a “2nd Amendment Sales Tax Holiday,” exempting all firearms, ammunition, and hunting accessories from sales taxes.
WLKY CBS: Kentucky Bill That Would Lower Age For Concealed Carry Permit Advances To House
Kentucky lawmakers have taken steps to expand gun rights to young adults in the Commonwealth. The Senate passed Senate Bill 75 Tuesday afternoon with a 26 to 11 vote. SB 75 would lower the age for carrying a concealed and deadly weapon from 21 to 18. It was introduced by Shelbyville Sen. Aaron Reed, who argues that it gives young adults the freedom to better protect themselves. The bill now goes to the House floor for consideration.
The Washington Times: Opinion: The Importance Of Concealed Carry Reciprocity
Imagine a single woman driving across state lines at night, hoping she won’t become a crime victim if her car breaks down. Or a truck driver as he travels across the country with valuable merchandise. They can quickly run into trouble in states such as California, Illinois, Maryland, New York, New Jersey or Oregon, among the 10 states that don’t recognize concealed handgun permits from other states. Similarly, nine states don’t grant or make it difficult for nonresidents to get permits.