Veto of House Bill 25-477

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 6, 2025

Contact: Office of the Governor, Communications Department, State of San Andreas Press@sa.gov  | (555) 0100-GOV

Governor Payne Vetoes "Defense Clarification Act," Calls for Stronger Protections for Crime Victims

LOS SANTOS – Governor Isabel R. Payne today vetoed House Bill 25-477, the "Defense Clarification Act," returning the legislation to the General Assembly with a request for critical revisions to protect the rights of individuals acting in self-defense.

While Governor Payne voiced strong support for the bill's broader goal of codifying affirmative defenses, she rejected a specific provision that would have required victims of violent crime to physically remain at the scene of an incident to fully validate their claim of self-defense.

"I commend the Legislature for their hard work in creating a unified legal framework for self-defense and insanity pleas," Governor Payne said. "However, I cannot sign legislation that places an undue burden on individuals acting under extreme duress. A victim of violence should never have to choose between their physical safety and their legal defense."

The Governor’s objection centers on Section 3, Subsection (b)(III), titled "Mandatory Reporting and Presence." In her official veto message, Governor Payne noted that linking the validity of a self-defense claim to a requirement of physical presence creates dangerous legal ambiguity.

"Requiring a victim... to remain at the scene—or risk damaging their legal defense—places an undue burden on individuals," the Governor wrote in her veto message. She further warned that the current wording invites "judicial legislation," forcing courts to retrospectively decide what constitutes a "necessary" departure in life-or-death scenarios.

Governor Payne has urged the General Assembly to revise the bill immediately. Her proposed changes would remove the "Presence" mandate and instead focus strictly on "Mandatory Reporting," requiring individuals to contact law enforcement as soon as it is safe to do so, without conditioning their legal rights on whether they remained at a dangerous scene.

"It is the duty of the General Assembly, not the Judiciary, to define these standards clearly," Governor Payne stated. "I look forward to signing a revised version of this bill that ensures justice for all citizens of San Andreas without compromising their safety."