REFERENCE TITLE: defense of duress; unavailable offenses State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 HB 2520 Introduced by Representatives Way: Biasiucci, Bliss, Carbone, Carter P, Diaz, Fink, Gress, Heap, Hendrix, Kupper, Livingston, Lopez, Marshall, Martinez, Montenegro, Nguyen, Olson, Powell, Taylor, Weninger, Willoughby, Wilmeth AN ACT Amending section 13-412, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to justification. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
REFERENCE TITLE: defense of duress; unavailable offenses
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
HB 2520
Introduced by Representatives Way: Biasiucci, Bliss, Carbone, Carter P, Diaz, Fink, Gress, Heap, Hendrix, Kupper, Livingston, Lopez, Marshall, Martinez, Montenegro, Nguyen, Olson, Powell, Taylor, Weninger, Willoughby, Wilmeth
REFERENCE TITLE: defense of duress; unavailable offenses
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
2025
HB 2520
Introduced by
Representatives Way: Biasiucci, Bliss, Carbone, Carter P, Diaz, Fink, Gress, Heap, Hendrix, Kupper, Livingston, Lopez, Marshall, Martinez, Montenegro, Nguyen, Olson, Powell, Taylor, Weninger, Willoughby, Wilmeth
AN ACT
Amending section 13-412, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to justification.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Section 13-412, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE13-412. Duress A. Conduct which that would otherwise constitute an offense is justified if a reasonable person would believe that he was compelled to engage in the proscribed conduct by the threat or use of immediate physical force against his person or the person of another which that resulted or could result in serious physical injury which that a reasonable person in the situation would not have resisted. B. The defense provided by subsection A of this section is unavailable if one of the following applies: 1. The person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly placed himself in a situation in which it was probable that he would be subjected to duress. C. The defense provided by subsection A is unavailable for offenses involving 2. The offense involves: (a) Homicide. or (b) Serious physical injury. (c) A violation of section 13-3212, 13-3620 or 13-3623 or chapter 14 or 35.1 of this title. END_STATUTE
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 13-412, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE13-412. Duress
A. Conduct which that would otherwise constitute an offense is justified if a reasonable person would believe that he was compelled to engage in the proscribed conduct by the threat or use of immediate physical force against his person or the person of another which that resulted or could result in serious physical injury which that a reasonable person in the situation would not have resisted.
B. The defense provided by subsection A of this section is unavailable if one of the following applies:
1. The person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly placed himself in a situation in which it was probable that he would be subjected to duress.
C. The defense provided by subsection A is unavailable for offenses involving
2. The offense involves:
(a) Homicide. or
(b) Serious physical injury.
(c) A violation of section 13-3212, 13-3620 or 13-3623 or chapter 14 or 35.1 of this title. END_STATUTE