(February 12, 2007)--"Castle Doctrine" sounds like a medieval warning to invaders: Cross this moat and suffer the consequences.

A pair of Republican state lawmakers now wants to apply it to toughen up Texas' modern-day self-defense laws.

San Antonio Senator Jeff Wentworth and Garland Representative Joe Driver have sponsored bills to have Texas join more than a dozen states with the so-called "Castle Doctrine."

That's a sort of shoot-first, retreat-later approach to defending hearth, home, truck and business.

Essentially, the Castle Doctrine is born out of the English common-law theory that a man's home is his castle and he has a right to defend it.

Texas already has some of the broadest self-defense laws in the country.

But Wentworth says his bill would broaden the legal rights of crime victims to protect themselves, their relatives and their property from intruders.

It would create a legal presumption that an intruder intends to cause death or great bodily harm and that victims have the right to use deadly force.

He says current law in some instances imposes a duty to retreat before using deadly force on an intruder.

Critics deride it as a "shoot-to-kill" bill that allows for more violence and removes a tool from prosecutors and legal experts wonder if the change is really needed.

A spokesman for the Texas District and County Attorneys Association says prosecutors have had mixed reactions to the bill.

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Central Texas State Senators

Sen. Kip Averitt, R-McGregor
(State Sen. District 22 includes: Bosque*, Coryell*, Ellis, Falls*, Hill*, Hood, Johnson, McLennan*, Navarro, Somervell Counties)
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Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay
(State Sen. District 24 includes: Bell*, Blanco, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, Gillespie, Hamilton*, Kerr, Kimble, Lampasas*, Llano, McCulloch*, Mason, Menard, Mills*, San Saba*, Taylor Counties)
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Sen. Steve Odgen, R-Bryan
(State Sen. District 5 includes: Brazos, Burleson, Freestone*, Grimes, Houston, Lee, Leon*, Limestone*, Madison, Milam*, Robertson, Trinity, Walker, Williamson Counties)
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Central Texas State Representatives

Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana
(State Rep. District 8 includes: Anderson, Freestone*, Limestone*, Navarro Counties)
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State Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie
(State Rep. District 10 includes: Hill*, Ellis Counties)
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State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown
(State Rep. District 20 includes: Milam*, Williamson-part, Counties)
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State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville
(State Rep. District 53 includes: Callahan, Coleman, Concho, Crockett, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, McCulloch*, Mason, Menard, Real, Runnels, San Saba*, Schleicher, Sutton Counties)
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Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen
(State Rep. District 54 includes: Bell-part*, Burnet, Lampasas* Counties)
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Rep. Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple
(State Rep. District 55 includes: Bell-part County)
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Rep. Charles Anderson, R-Waco
(State Rep. District 56 includes: McLennan-part County)
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Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco
(State Rep. District 57 includes: Falls*, Leon*, McLennan-part*, Madison, Robertson Counties)
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Rep. Rob Orr, R-Burleson
(State Rep. District 58 includes: Bosque*, Johnson Counties)
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Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville
(State Rep. District 59 includes: Comanche, Coryell*, Erath, Hamilton*, Mills*, Somervell Counties)
Click Here For Miller House Web Site

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