Senate Bill 24 Summary

• Amends Arkansas Code § 5-2-606 to establish that a person has no duty to retreat before using physical force if lawfully present, not engaged in criminal activity, and not involved in criminal gang activity.

• Amends Arkansas Code § 5-2-607 to create a "stand your ground" law eliminating the duty to retreat before using deadly physical force when the person is lawfully present, reasonably believes imminent threat of death or serious injury exists, and is not the initial aggressor or engaged in criminal activity.

• Establishes exceptions to retreat requirements for persons unable to retreat with complete safety, in their dwelling or its curtilage (if not the original aggressor), or law enforcement officers.

• Amends Arkansas Code § 5-2-615 to allow pregnant women to use physical or deadly force to protect their unborn child under the same justifications as self-defense, with an exception that the pregnant woman is not required to retreat if doing so would compromise the safety of the unborn child.

• Defines key terms including "curtilage" (land adjoining a dwelling used for residential purposes) and "domestic abuse" (including physical harm between family members and sexual conduct constituting a crime).