The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights hearing on “Stand Your Ground” laws has been rescheduled for tomorrow, October 29th at 10 am. The hearing is currently scheduled to take place in room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. A final witness list and any updates to the room location will be made available on the Senate Judiciary Committee website. YOU MUST RSVP BY TODAY. RSVP information is listed below.
“Stand Your Ground” Laws: Civil Rights and Public Safety Implications of the Expanded Use of Deadly Force
Hearing Before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the
Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights
Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 226
(Room location is tentative; please check Senate Judiciary Committee website to confirm –http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/)
Description: U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Assistant Majority Leader and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights, will hold a rescheduled hearing to examine “stand your ground” laws that have significantly expanded the permissible use of deadly force and that have been adopted in 26 states since 2005. This hearing was initially scheduled for September 17 but was postponed. The hearing will examine the way that “stand your ground” laws were promoted across the country, the impact of the laws on public safety and civil rights, the “shoot first” mentality that such laws produce, and the concerns posed by the laws in light of the gun lobby’s aggressive efforts in Congress and in statehouses to expand concealed carrying of guns. Hearing witnesses will urge reconsideration of “stand your ground” laws in light of these developments. Hearing witnesses will also urge Congressional vigilance against continued efforts by the gun lobby to make changes to federal gun laws that will exacerbate the troubling impacts of “stand your ground” laws.
Hearing Attendance: This hearing is open to the public. Please encourage advocates and interested members of the community to attend. A large audience filling both the hearing room and overflow room is critical to showing interest in the issue. For our planning purposes, please RSVP by filling out this form as soon as possible. If you submitted an RSVP for the previous hearing date, please note that you must submit a new RSVP for the rescheduled date.
Senator Dick Durbin is Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights. The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over all constitutional issues, and all legislation and policy related to civil rights, civil liberties and human rights. The Ranking Member of the Subcommittee is Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).
