Senate Considers Another Change To 'Stand Your Ground' Law

Published February 10, 2017 at 8:26 AM EST

A measure to change Florida's " stand your ground" law is advancing again in the state Senate.

A divided Senate panel on Thursday (SB 128) voted for the bill that would place more of a burden on prosecutors to prove self-defense wasn't a factor when charging someone with assaulting or killing another person.

The Senate passed a similar bill last year but it was not considered by the House.

Jacksonville's Marissa Alexander testified for the bill. She attracted national attention after she was sentenced in 2012 to 20 years in prison for firing a gun near her estranged husband. She argued she had fired a "warning shot" and unsuccessfully tried to use Florida's "stand your ground" law as part of her defense.

Alexander's conviction was thrown out on appeal and she reached a plea deal in 2014.