Bill gives more protection to gun owners

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A bill to expand legal protections to people who shoot or use other deadly force when threatened or attacked easily passed the state Senate on Tuesday. <br/><br/>The state House, which

Tuesday, April 25th 2006, 3:38 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A bill to expand legal protections to people who shoot or use other deadly force when threatened or attacked easily passed the state Senate on Tuesday.

The state House, which approved the bill earlier on a 96-2 vote, will now vote on the Senate-passed bill in a procedural move necessary before it goes on to Gov. Brad Henry to be signed into law.

Senators voted 39-5 for the bill, despite arguments it could lead to more street violence.

Sen. Kevin Calvey, D-Del City, a Republican candidate for the 5th Congressional District, introduced the measure. It is supported by the National Rifle Association.

The bill would expand a law passed in 1987 that protects people who shoot in self defense in their own homes. The new measure would allow citizens to use deadly force when they believe they are in danger in their cars, or office or elsewhere.

Sen. Harry Coates, R-Seminole, sponsored the measure in the Senate. He said since adoption of the 1987 law, burglaries have dropped dramatically in Oklahoma.

Florida was the first state last October to enact a law extending deadly force rights from the home to other areas. Since then, Alabama, Indiana, Mississippi and South Dakota have passed similar proposals, Coates said.

``It is important to ensure that citizens have the law on their side should they need to use force to protect themselves and their families,'' he said.

Several Oklahoma law enforcement authorities have expressed concern the bill could impede their ability to investigate deadly shootings and could be used to give someone a defense in the killing of police officers.

Some senators argued the bill is an election-year ploy by legislators who want to show they are tough on crime.

Sen. Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah, said there were only 17 ``stanger-to-stranger homicides'' in Oklahoma last year.

``There was only one where the law would protect someone. That was in a road rage situation,'' Wilson said.

Sen. Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne, an attorney, urged passage. ``All we're doing here is allowing you to protect yourself where you may be,'' he said.

Voting against the bill were Wilson and Sens. Cal Hobson, D-Lexington; Bernest Cain, D-Oklahoma City; Judy Eason-McIntyre, D-Tulsa, and Connie Johnson, D-Oklahoma City.