New Missouri Stand Your Ground Law

Several new state laws went into effect in Missouri yesterday, the result of the Legislature overriding several vetoes of Governor Jay Nixon at its September session.

The law relevant to us here is Stand Your Ground, State Bill 656. This law is an expansion of the state’s castle doctrine, which lets people use deadly force to defend themselves and their homes against intruders. The way the law was previously written allowed only homeowners or the people who live in the home to use deadly force in the event of a home intrusion. The new law extends the protection against lawsuits to house guests who use deadly force and lets people defend themselves in any place where they’re legally allowed to be and carry weapons.

The changes also impact the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law regarding how you defend yourself outside your home, such as a sidewalk or parking lot. Now, you no longer have to retreat if you believe your life is in danger.

The governor vetoed the bill because he says it lets people, including people from other states, carry a concealed firearm even though they have been denied a permit because their background checks revealed crimes or caused the sheriff to believe they pose a danger, and because it eliminates training requirement for carrying concealed weapons.

Another provision of this law goes into effect on January 1, 2017, letting people carry concealed weapons without a permit in any place that isn’t expressly prohibited by law. Missourians can now obtain 10-year, 25-year, or lifetime concealed-carry permits, and limits the fees that they can be charged.