Self-defense.

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Self-defense.

AB 2584, as amended, Flora.

What This Bill Does

• AB 2584, as amended, Flora.
• Self-defense.
• Existing law authorizes a party about to be injured to lawfully resist the commission of a public offense and to use sufficient resistance to prevent the offense.
• Existing case law provides that, in order to justify an act of self-defense, an individual must have a reasonable belief that the threat is imminent, and limits the right of self-defense to the use of that force that is reasonable under the circumstances.

Limits and Unknowns

• This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Official Summary Text

AB 2584, as amended, Flora.
Self-defense.
Existing law authorizes a party about to be injured to lawfully resist the commission of a public offense and to use sufficient resistance to prevent the offense. Existing case law provides that, in order to justify an act of self-defense, an individual must have a reasonable belief that the threat is imminent, and limits the right of self-defense to the use of that force that is reasonable under the circumstances.
This bill, the Preemptive Self Defense Act of 2026, would clarify that a party who reasonably perceives an imminent threat of bodily harm may make lawful resistance to the commission of a public offense and that the resistance authorized is required to be proportional to the reasonably perceived threat and to cease when the threat is no longer present. The bill would prohibit a party’s background, training, and professional fighting
skills from being taken into account when determining whether a party has taken reasonable defensive action.
Existing law authorizes necessary force to be used to protect from wrongful injury the person or property of oneself, or of a spouse, child, parent, or other relative, or member of one’s family, or of a ward, servant, master, or guest.
This
bill
bill, the Preemptive Self Defense Act of 2026,
would also specify that there shall not be any civil liability on the part of, and no cause of action shall accrue against, a person who lawfully resists a public offense, as
described above.
specified.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF