Legislators in one state just submitted one bill that should, in my opinion, be a model for legislation that we really should see nationwide. It’s so obviously needed and such a right thing to do that the biggest thing that sticks out to me is the question, “Why hasn’t anyone done this before?”
I don’t know the answer to that question (I’m wondering why I hadn’t thought of it before, either). What I can say is that it’s absolutely the right thing to do, and it’s the kind of thing that really should be done everywhere. Luke McCoy gives us details:
A new bill introduced in the Wyoming House of Representatives could offer significant legal and financial relief to individuals who lawfully defend themselves and are later cleared of criminal charges. House Bill 0014 (HB0014), titled Protecting Self-Defense-Reimbursement and Amendments, was officially received for introduction on January 9, 2026.
Sponsored by a coalition of representatives and senators, HB0014 seeks to reinforce the rights of individuals who use reasonable defensive force under Wyoming’s self-defense statutes by providing two major protections: full reimbursement of legal costs and automatic eligibility for record expungement following acquittal or dismissal of charges.
Don’t you just want to just facepalm yourself after reading about the bill?
It’s the kind of thing that you read and say to yourself, “Of course that’s what we should do!”
And I agree, this should be done for everyone who has to deal with all of the legal headaches after a justified defensive shooting.
One of the beautiful things about this legislation is that, if passed, it will also make it more difficult for anti-2A zealots to use lawfare to harass gun owners by tying up the gun owner’s funds in defending themselves in court. But if they’ll be reimbursed upon being cleared of criminal charges, it makes it harder to drive the gun owner into submission.
And prevented anti-2A lawfare is a good thing.
What do you think, though? Is this legislation a good idea? Why or why not? Tell us in the comments below.