Alabama House Passes Bill Extending ‘Stand-Your-Ground’ to Armed Church-Goers

On Tuesday, the Alabama House passed legislation extending stand-your-ground laws to cover armed, law-abiding church-goers.

The  legislation — HB 36 — was sponsored by state Rep. Lynn Greer (R-Rogersville).

According to the Decatur Daily, Greer’s HB-36 “provides that a person is not criminally liable for using physical force, including deadly force, in self-defense or in defense of another person on the premises of a church under certain conditions, including when the force is used against someone attempting to commit physical injury, robbery or a sex crime at the church.”

Greer stressed that HB 36 “does not force churches to do anything,” meaning that churches are not forced to put individuals through a special training process before they can be part of an armed security team. He said, “Our Stand Your Ground laws don’t require training to protect your home and your family.”

He cited lack of finances as another reason for not requiring a special training course for law-abiding citizens armed in church. The cost of such a course would immediately price some churches out of getting a security team, thereby leaving them vulnerable to an attack like the one that occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 17, 2015.

State Rep. James Buskey (D-Mobile) said, “If they aren’t going to go through training, why would we give them immunity?”

It is interesting to note that Alabama already has a stand-your-ground law for law-abiding residents who must use deadly force to protect their lives and the lives of their families. Like Greer’s HB 36, the current law does not require special training before an individual exercises his or her natural right to self-defense.

Greer’s bill now goes to the Senate.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.