20250AB__258498AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-20 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-26 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Flora LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Flora

An act to amend

Section of the Civil Code, relating to self-defense. self-defense 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.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>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.</xhtml:p>"?> 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, 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 specified. MAJORITY NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Preemptive Self Defense Act of 2026.

SEC. 2.

Section of the Civil Code is amended to read: 50. (

a) Any necessary force may 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. (b)

(1) 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 in

Chapter 1 (commencing with

Section 692) of Title of Part of the Penal Code.

(2) This subdivision does not apply to a person who was the primary aggressor and subsequently suffers injury or to a person who used force that was not proportional to the reasonably perceived threat. <caml:Num>SEC. 3.</caml:Num><caml:ActionLine action="IS_AMENDED" xlink:href="urn:caml:codes:PEN:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'PART'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'2.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'TITLE'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'1.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'CHAPTER'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'1.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawSection%5Bcaml%3ANum%3D'692.'%5D)" xlink:label="fractionType: LAW_SECTION" xlink:type="locator">Section of the <caml:DocName>Penal Code</caml:DocName> is amended to read:</caml:ActionLine><caml:Fragment><caml:LawSection id="id_9475A555-1CB9-4886-BA9B-22043251316A"><caml:Num>692.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_7A60176F-A738-49F0-97A7-1D55D56D1871"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>Lawful resistance to the commission of a public offense may be made:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>By the party about to be injured, including by a party who reasonably perceives an imminent threat of bodily harm.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>For the purposes of this subdivision, “imminent threat of bodily harm” means an action that reasonably indicates a physical attack is about to occur, including, but not limited to, a deliberate feint, fake strike, or other aggressive movement intended to provoke a reaction or create fear of an immediate attack.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>By other parties.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection></caml:Fragment></caml:BillSection><caml:BillSection id="id_578724AC-09B7-4EEE-B3FC-BBE20EABA05A"><caml:Num>SEC. 4.</caml:Num><caml:ActionLine action="IS_AMENDED" xlink:href="urn:caml:codes:PEN:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'PART'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'2.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'TITLE'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'1.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'CHAPTER'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'1.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawSection%5Bcaml%3ANum%3D'693.'%5D)" xlink:label="fractionType: LAW_SECTION" xlink:type="locator">Section of the <caml:DocName>Penal Code</caml:DocName> is amended to read:</caml:ActionLine><caml:Fragment><caml:LawSection id="id_C2B21C43-CF40-4C24-BB34-7914EFC88DCF"><caml:Num>693.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_8FE6F2F1-3322-49BE-87BD-605D357F4B85"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Resistance sufficient to prevent the offense may be made by the party about to be injured:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>To prevent an offense against their person, their family, or a member of their family.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>To prevent an illegal attempt by force to take or injure property in their lawful possession.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The resistance authorized by this

section shall be proportional to the reasonably perceived threat and shall cease when the threat is no longer present.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A party resisting an imminent threat of bodily harm, as defined in

Section 692, shall not be required to wait until a physical attack has begun before taking reasonable defensive action. In determining whether a party has taken reasonable defensive action, the party’s background, training, and professional fighting skills shall not be taken into account.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection></caml:Fragment></caml:BillSection>"?>