Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Monday allowing the state, local governments, and Californians to sue gun makers and sellers who fail to follow firearm laws, thereby creating and/or maintaining a public nuisance.
AB 1594, authored by Assemblymembers Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) and Chris Ward (D-San Diego), allows individuals, local governments, and the California Attorney General to sue manufacturers and sellers of firearms for the “harm caused by their products.”
“To the victims of gun violence and their families: California stands with you,” Newsom said in a news release. “The gun industry can no longer hide from the devastating harm their products cause. Our kids, families, and communities deserve streets free of gun violence and gun makers must be held accountable for their role in this crisis. Nearly every industry is held liable when people are hurt or killed by their products – guns should be no different.”
The specific language of AB 1594 reads as “This bill would specify that a gun industry member has created or maintained a public nuisance, as defined, if their failure to follow federal, state, or local law caused injury or death or if the gun industry member engaged in unfair business practices.”
According to Assembly Republicans who opposed the bill, the new law opens the door to a wave of lawsuits designed to bury firearms retailers and manufacturers in legal fees in a “direct attempt to put them out of business.” ■