Texas state Rep. Terry Meza (D) introduced a bill that would make it harder for gun owners to use the state's "castle doctrine" against home invaders. The "castle doctrine" allows residents to use deadly force to protect their property.
Meza's bill, HB 196, has already caused a lot of controversy and in a series of tweets on her Twitter account, she said it does not repeal the "castle doctrine," it only would "require a homeowner to exhaust the potential of safely retreating into their habitation before using deadly force in defense of themselves or their property."
Meza says the reason why she introduced the bill is because the current doctrine "emboldens people to take justice into their own hands. While theft is obviously wrong, we have laws to address that. I don’t believe that stealing someone’s lawn ornament should be an offense punishable by death."
My bill HB 196 and my position on the Texas Castle Doctrine has been misrepresented in the news as of late.
— Terry Meza (@TerryforTexas) November 19, 2020
It does not repeal the Castle Doctrine, and it does not restrict homeowners from using firearms in self-defense as applicable to current Texas stand your ground laws. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/CfDFJZedY0
people to take justice into their own hands. While theft is obviously wrong, we have laws to address that. I don’t believe that stealing someone’s lawn ornament should be an offense punishable by death. 3/3
— Terry Meza (@TerryforTexas) November 19, 2020
The Associated Press reported that Meza spokesman Vince Leibowit said the bill only deals with situations outside the home and does not change Texas law relating to situations inside someone’s own "habitation."
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