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Bill protects Texas renters in justified force cases
A Texas lawmaker has filed legislation that would protect renters from facing eviction if they use justified force to protect themselves or their families in their rental homes or apartments.
FORT WORTH, Texas - A Texas lawmaker has filed legislation that would protect renters from facing eviction if they use justified force to protect themselves or their families in their rental homes or apartments.
Fort Worth mom fatally shoots 14-year-old breaking into her apartment
The backstory:
It was a North Texas case that moved State Rep. Carrie Isaac to act.
In December of 2023, Fort Worth resident Aleah Wallace shot and killed someone attempting to enter her apartment through the window in her 8-year-old daughter’s bedroom.
Fort Worth woman who fatally shot teen breaking into her home: 'I was protecting my kids'
Aleah Wallace shot and killed someone trying to break into her rental home where she lived with her four daughters. She's talking about what happened exclusively with FOX 4’s Shaun Rabb.
This was after the single mother of four had been burglarized several times, including once earlier that day.
The person who died was, unfortunately, a 14-year-old boy.
"I didn’t know he was 14 when he was on the other side of that window. All I knew was that somebody could come in here and hurt me or my kids. That’s it," she told FOX 4 in 2023.
Days later, she was notified that she would be evicted because her lease said no weapons could be on the property.
Can the Fort Worth woman living in subsidized housing be evicted for having a gun?
Police are sending Aleah Wallace’s case to a grand jury to decide if there are any criminal charges, but the federally subsidized property she’s lived in has told her she has to go. But a Dallas attorney says her eviction may not be so cut and dry.
The outcome:
A Tarrant County grand jury cleared Wallace of any wrongdoing in April of last year.
Her eviction was stopped after North Texas attorney Mark Melton took her case pro bono.
State Rep. Isaac, a Republican from Central Texas, also saw the story on the news and began raising her voice to defend Wallace’s right to protect her family.
State Rep. Isaac files the Aleah Wallace Act
What they're saying:
For State Rep. Isaac, it was not just a renter’s rights issue but a Second Amendment issue as well.
"When I heard her story, I was just furious," she said. "It was just an injustice, and I don’t know why we would treat renters any different than we would homeowners."
Texas lawmaker backs Fort Worth mother facing eviction after shooting intruder
Aleah Wallace, the Fort Worth mom who shot and killed someone trying to break into her home and is being evicted for having a gun, now has support from lawmakers. One state rep is reaching out to the state to see what may be done.
Isaac filed HB 2879, or the Aleah Wallace Act, to protect a renter’s right to defend themselves and others where they live.
It prevents condominium associations from imposing fines or adverse actions against residents who use justified force.
It also prevents landlords from evicting tenants for lawfully defending themselves or others.
The use of force is justified if the individual is not charged, indicted, or is found not guilty of any offense related to their actions.
"I had no idea we had citizens in the state of Texas that were not able to exercise their Second Amendment right. So now this just makes it more clear that your landlord does not have the right to take away your Second Amendment," Isaac said.
What's next:
Isaac said other lawmakers are in line with her.
"I’ve got a lot of support from my fellow legislators, and I’ve been told that we believe this is going to move pretty fast. So I’m excited," she said.
If it passes the House and the Senate and is signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, it would go into effect on Sept. 1.
The Source: FOX 4's Shaun Rabb talked to State Rep. Carrie Isaac to gather information for this story. Some of the details are also from past news coverage.