Subcommittee advances bill to bar out-of-state and foreign civil claims against firearms makers

Representative G. Fritz, sponsor of House Bill 873, brought the measure before the Veil Justice Subcommittee, saying the bill would extend state-level protections for firearm manufacturers against civil liability claims from other states and foreign governments. “These additions protect firearm manufacturers from foreign claims of civil liability,” Fritz said, describing the legislation as building on the Tennessee law passed in 2023 and noting economic stakes for the state’s firearms industry.

The bill would bar state courts from recognizing judgments from foreign jurisdictions and broaden the set of manufacturers eligible for the immunity. Fritz cited industry employment and economic figures, saying, “According to the Tennessee Department of Economic Development, in September 21, Tennessee was the number 1 per capita in the nation for employment in the firearms and ordinance industry, employing 8,000 people. The industry contributes an estimated $1,100,000,000 to our economy each year.”

Drew Spiegel, representing Students Demand Action and a survivor of the Highland Park shooting, opposed the bill in public testimony. “My fellow survivors deserve their day in court,” Spiegel said. He told the committee the lawsuit against Smith & Wesson and other sellers followed the Highland Park attack and argued the bill would create "additional hurdles that prevent accountability." Spiegel described the suits as an attempt by survivors to hold manufacturers and retailers accountable for marketing and sale practices that plaintiffs say contributed to mass shootings.

Committee members pressed sponsors and the witness on competing considerations: protecting local industry and jobs versus preserving victims’ access to civil remedies. Representative Johnson said she supported allowing legal processes to proceed: “If a company is doing right and not causing any harm, let the legal process take care of that.” Fritz framed the bill as protection against repeated suits that can financially pressure companies even if the suits fail.

The subcommittee voted to send House Bill 873, as amended (amendment 4178 was adopted), to the full judiciary committee. The clerk recorded 5 ayes and 1 no.

The measure now proceeds to full committee consideration, where lawmakers will weigh the bill’s stated economic protections against concerns from survivors and advocacy groups about limiting civil liability.