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Gov. Newsom of California passes legislation allowing gun violence victims to pursue damages against gun makers

The action significantly strengthens firearm regulations in California, which, according to the Giffords Law Center, has the nation’s strictest regulations governing firearm safety. “To the victims and families of gun violence: California supports you. According to a news statement from Newsom, the arms industry can no longer hide from the terrible harm that its goods are producing. A federal statute passed in 2005 shields gun makers and sellers from legal action if the weapons they produce are used to commit crimes.

California Assembly Bill 1594 “uses an exception to federal law that permits gun manufacturers or dealers to be sued for violations of state statutes connected to the sale or marketing of weapons,” the California news release stated.

“Gun-free streets are something that our kids, families, and communities deserve, and gun manufacturers must answer for their part in this disaster. Guns should not be any different from other industries in that they are held accountable if their products cause harm or death to people, the governor argued.

Many high-profile shootings have occurred recently, including one that was racially motivated and targeted the black community in Buffalo, New York, and another that claimed 19 lives at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, along with two teachers. discussing gun control laws. The most major piece of federal legislation to address gun violence since the 1994 10-year assault weapons prohibition, which expired in 2005, was signed into law by President Joe Biden last month. Yet, the law did not outlaw weapons.

Hitting the bottom line could force gun makers to take action to minimize gun violence by stopping illegal sales and theft, according to Californian Lawmaker Phil Ting, who co-authored the bill.