Pennsylvania House Passes 'Castle Doctrine' Bill

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - The Pennsylvania House has now passed a bill that would expand the right to use lethal force in self-defense. The Senate has passed an identical bill, but the measure won't be heading to the governor's desk.

The bill passed by the house on Tuesday has identical language to a bill passed by the Senate, but it's technically a different bill, so it won't be sent to the governor's desk.

As to why the house didn't simply pass the Senate bill, Republican Scott Perry – sponsor of the House measure – says the legislation dealing with expanding the so-called "Castle Doctrine" originated in the House and that many people who worked on the legislation are familiar with it in that context.

"Including the DA's association, who we worked very closely with in crafting the current legislation to get it to where it is," Perry says. "It's not really pride of authorship, but there's a lot of people that, out across Pennsylvania it's known as the Castle Doctrine as House Bill 40. It's not known as some Senate bill."

Among the changes urged by DA's is a provision that requires that when outside the home, a would-be attacker has to be showing a weapon before deadly force can be used.

Reported by Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio