Maryland Committees to Consider Castle Doctrine Tomorrow!

Your Attendance is Needed!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 7, the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and the House Judiciary Committee will both hold public hearings on the “Castle Doctrine” legislation pending in their respective chambers.  Senate Bill 518, sponsored by State Senator Nancy Jacobs (R-34) and House Bill 455, sponsored by Delegate Bill Frank (R-42), make much-needed reforms to Maryland’s self-defense laws. 

The proposed reforms of Maryland's self-defense laws would accomplish three things:

(1) establish the presumption that a criminal who unlawfully enters or intrudes into your home or occupied vehicle is there to cause death or great bodily harm, and you may therefore use any manner of force, including deadly force, against that person;

(2) state that you have no duty to retreat if you are attacked in a place where you have a right to be present, if you are not the original aggressor, and if you are not engaged in criminal activity; and

(3) protect persons using force authorized by law from lawsuits filed by injured criminal attackers or their families.

Your State Legislators need to hear from you today!

Your attendance in Annapolis is important.  If you are able to attend, the hearings will be held at 1:00 PM in the Senate and House Committee Rooms, both located on the State House Complex on Bladen Street in Annapolis.

If you are not able to attend, please contact your State Legislators today and voice your support for SB 518 and HB 455.

Please respectfully urge your Senator and Delegates that self-defense is a fundamental right, and law-abiding citizens should be able to exercise that right without the fear of criminal prosecution.

Please attend the hearing or contact them today!

For or help identifying your State Legislators, please use the "Write Your Representative" feature found at www.NRAILA.org.