California is at it again. The same state that defunded its police and made it harder for law-abiding citizens to exercise their 2A rights is now coming for self-defense laws.

Assembly Bill 1333, if passed, would severely limit when residents can use lethal force to protect themselves or others.

Worse yet, it introduces an absolute duty to retreat when outside the home—essentially forcing people to flee rather than defend their own lives.

Under California’s current law (Penal Code Section 197), lethal force is justified when someone is facing imminent danger of death, serious bodily injury, or a felony being committed against them.

But AB 1333 seeks to strip away those protections.

• Limits Self-Defense Situations: The bill removes the provision allowing the use of lethal force when a felony (such as robbery, carjacking, or sexual assault) is being committed against the victim. This means prosecutors could argue that defending yourself during a violent crime isn’t justified.
• Weakens Home Defense: While current law allows you to use lethal force against a home intruder, AB 1333 waters this down, making it more difficult to defend yourself even in your own home.
• Creates a Duty to Retreat: If you’re outside your residence, you must try to escape before using force, even if facing immediate danger. This directly contradicts the long-standing stand-your-ground principle recognized in many states.
• Bans Certain Justifications for Lethal Force: The bill explicitly eliminates the right to use lethal force to apprehend a felon, suppress a riot, or protect public safety in certain scenarios.

This bill would put law-abiding citizens in even greater danger. Criminals don’t follow gun laws, and now California wants to strip away one of the last remaining tools for lawful self-defense.

If AB 1333 becomes law, victims could be forced to prove they exhausted all options for escape before they could even consider using lethal force—giving attackers the upper hand.

SEE ALSO: Charter Arms Bulldog Classic Review

California has already made it harder to carry firearms, and now it wants to make it nearly impossible to use one in self-defense.

The end goal? A population that’s completely defenseless.

William Kirk of Washington Gun Law has been raising awareness about this dangerous bill (see video above), highlighting just how drastically it would limit a person’s ability to protect themselves.

If you’re a California resident, contact your legislators and oppose AB 1333 before it’s too late. Spread the word and educate others about this dangerous bill.

California’s leaders have already taken away so much—don’t let them take your right to defend yourself, too.

*** Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica! All Local Sales are FREE! ***