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Pennsylvania State Senate
12/27/2024 06:46 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?SPick=20250&chamber=S&cosponId=44090
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2025 - 2026 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 10, 2024 11:42 AM
From: Senator Patrick J. Stefano
To: All Senate members
Subject: Castle Doctrine Expansion
 
In the near future, I will reintroduce legislation to strengthen Pennsylvania’s Castle Doctrine, empowering citizens to better protect themselves, their families, and their property.
 
Our Commonwealth has a proud history of safeguarding the rights of its people. While the United States Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms, Pennsylvania’s Constitution goes further, enshrining this right in Article I, Section 21: “The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.” This foundational protection underscores our commitment to personal safety and security.
 
The National Conference of State Legislatures defines the Castle Doctrine as a legal principle allowing individuals to use reasonable force, including deadly force, to defend themselves against an intruder in their home. Pennsylvania codifies this principle in Title 18, Section 505.
 
In 2011, the statute was updated to extend the Castle Doctrine’s protections to areas where individuals have a legal right to be, such as their vehicles, if they believe themselves to be in danger of death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping, or rape.
 
My proposed legislation would go further by extending these self-defense rights beyond a person’s dwelling to their property line. The right to defend oneself should not be limited by location, whether inside a home or on one’s property.  
 
This legislation was formerly Senate Bill 110 during the 2023-24 Session and was co-sponsored by Senators Pennycuick, Bartolotta, Brewster, Langerholc, J. Ward, Aument, Vogel, and Phillips-Hill.
 
I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to further protect the constitutional right of Pennsylvanians to protect themselves. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact Jeffrey Ivicic in my office at jivicic@pasen.gov.
 




Memo Updated: December 10, 2024 11:43 AM