Judiciary committee hears hours of testimony on bill to let Connecticut courts sue firearm manufacturers and dealers

Connecticut's Judiciary Committee took up hours of testimony March 12 on HB 7042, the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act, a proposal that would let victims, municipalities or the attorney general sue firearm manufacturers, distributors and sellers in Connecticut courts for unlawful sales, marketing or other conduct that foreseeably causes harm.

Supporters said the bill is meant to close an accountability gap left by federal law and reduce the flow of crime guns into the state. "This legislation does not target responsible gun owners or responsible businesses," testified Earl Bloodworth, executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence. "It sets clear, enforceable deterrence measures for those in the firearm industry who fail to implement basic safeguards." He cited a national statistic — provided by Brady — that roughly 5% of dealers are linked to a large share of crime guns.

The bill's proponents included policy and research witnesses. Ramya Swamy, policy counsel at the Brady Campaign, told the committee that the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) has been interpreted by some courts to bar many suits against the industry and that HB 7042…