Rep. Gaetz, Sen. Mullin Introduce National ‘Stand Your Ground’ Self-Defense Bill

Handguns and firearms are displayed during a statewide gun buyback event held by the office of the New York State Attorney General in the Brooklyn borough of New York on April 29, 2023. Yuki Iwamura/AFP via Getty Images

The legal standard known as “stand your ground”—which allows people to use deadly force to defend against a violent attacker—could become the law of the land under a new bill introduced by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).

On Thursday, Gaetz and Mullin announced legislation (pdf) called the Stand Your Ground Act of 2023 that would make “stand your ground” the legal standard for self-defense throughout the United States.