LCO No. 1401 1 of 1
General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 5596
January Session, 2025
LCO No. 1401
Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY
Introduced by:
REP. FISHBEIN, 90th Dist.
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ADOPTION OF THE "CASTLE
DOCTRINE".
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
That section 53a-20 of the general statutes be amended to provide that 1
if a person believes that deadly physical force is necessary to prevent or 2
terminate an unlawful entry by force into such person's dwelling or to 3
prevent the commission of arson or a crime of violence by a trespasser, 4
there shall be a rebuttable presumption that such belief was a reasonable 5
belief. 6
Statement of Purpose:
To fully adopt the "castle doctrine" by establishing a rebuttable
presumption that if a homeowner believes it necessary to use deadly
force to repel an intruder, then that belief is a reasonable belief.