Michigan Alert: RESPONSE NEEDED - MI Legislature Seeks To Remove Firearm Industry Liability, Require Insurance
Last week, Michigan Senate Democrats took action to remove the state liability shield that is currently in place in state law to protect the industry from frivolous lawsuits.
They began this process by attaching a substitute bill to Senate Bill 79, the “safe storage” bill that is part of the larger gun control package. That bill passed out of committee and could be brought to the senate floor at any time.
On that same day, Michigan House Democrats introduced House Bill 4243, the “Gun Seller Liability Act.” This bill would explicitly permit lawsuits against a firearm seller that transfers a firearm and “knows or should know that the individual is prohibited.” The bill goes on to require that all “firearm dealers” in the state maintain liability insurance worth a minimum of $1 million for cases relating to lawsuits that arise from liability imposed by this bill.
Sec. 3. A person is strictly liable for damages that result if all of the following apply:
(a) The person sells, delivers or transfers a firearm to an individual.
(b) The person knows or should know that the individual is prohibited from possessing the firearm under federal law or the law of this state.
(c) The individual, or another individual who obtains possession of the firearm, uses the firearm to cause the injury or death of any other
We need your help in two ways:
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We need to know what percentage of our industry in Michigan currently maintains insurance that would comply with HB 4243. Let us know if you do by clicking the anonymous link here. Individual responses/information will not be shared.
- All industry members in Michigan should contact their legislators to urge them to oppose these harmful bills. Find your legislator’s contact information by clicking here.
If you have any questions, or if you would be willing to join NSSF in testifying against these bills, reach out to Chris Lee, NSSF’s Midwest Director of State Affairs at clee@nssf.org. |
