Connecticut: We Don’t Need No Law
BY Herschel Smith
10 hours, 46 minutes ago
The gun industry could face civil damages for the misuse of firearms in limited circumstances in Connecticut under product liability legislation passed by the House and sent to the Senate on Wednesday.
Passage of House Bill 7042 came on a largely party-line vote of 100 to 46 in the House, where Democrats have a 102-49 majority. Five Democrats were opposed and five Republicans in favor.
Republican opponents decried the bill as unfairly holding gun makers and sellers responsible for the actions of purchasers, while the Democratic sponsor described it as a reasonable effort to make an industry be more attentive to public safety.
The state legislation follows a narrow path left open by a federal law that generally protects the gun industry from damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of firearms or ammunition.
Exceptions to the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act include cases where harms occurred after a manufacturer or seller knowingly violated a law applicable to the sale or marketing of guns.
Nine states have passed similar laws, said Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, the lead sponsor of the bill.
He said the same exception was used by families of nine Sandy Hook Elementary School families to sue Remington over its marketing of the AR-15 style rifle used to kill 20 students and six educators in 2012. They agreed to a $73 million settlement in 2022.
The U.S. Supreme Court had refused to hear an appeal of a Connecticut’s court decision that allowed the families to pursue the case.
Yep, they invoked Sandy Hook as I figured they would. They got what they wanted. They bankrupted Remington and sent chills through the gun manufacturing industry (although Remington didn’t exactly help their case by producing crap). That there is such a thing as the protection of lawful commerce in firearms act doesn’t matter to legislators in Connecticut. Nor does it matter to the SCOTUS, apparently, who doesn’t care enough about the U.S. Congress to honor laws that have been made.
By the way, if you’re a gun manufacturer who still calls Connecticut home, I have one question. Why?
On May 1, 2025 at 6:21 am, Joe Blow said:
Welcome to TENNESSEE!!!!!