As the controversial trial of George Zimmerman gets closer, the issue of Florida's "Stand Your Ground Law" is getting reviewed. The Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection will meet for the first time tomorrow to discuss the law, which justifies the use of force as a form of defense. State Representative Dennis Baxley of Ocala, the author of the "stand your ground" law, says this initial meeting will allow the task force to get to know each other and decide on a plan of action to review the law.
Baxley says he hopes the task force will bring new ideas to the table that improve and clarify public safety laws. One problem Baxley has seen with the stand your ground law is that people think the law allows you to pursue and attack others in self defense.
While problems of interpreting the law have come up, Baxley says overall, it has saved many lives. He says that the task force should clarify what the stand your ground law covers, but that it should not be changed.
Baxley says the task force meeting tomorrow will allow the members to discuss and propose new laws that will improve public safety.
The task force will review all laws and regulations that involve public safety and citizen protection, and Baxley hopes the result of tomorrow's meeting will be clarification of the stand your ground law and improved public safety laws. Also, the governor's task force is getting a report from a group of lawmakers, who have also studied the law.