ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York can try to sue gun manufacturers over harm caused by their products under legislation that Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Tuesday.
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The new law comes at a time when New York City in particular is facing a rise in shootings. Overall, violence is well short of the historic highs of the 1990s, or even in the New York of the early 2000s.
But the Democratic-led Legislature has pushed to pass several gun control measures this year, including legislation that would prohibit the sale, purchase or transfer of firearms to anyone with an outstanding warrant for a felony or serious offense.
The federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005 gave gun manufacturers immunity from lawsuits related to the criminal misuse of their products. Supporters of New York’s bill argue that gun manufacturers can still be held liable if they violate other laws concerning the sale or marketing of firearms.
“Plain and simple, this was federal overreach to protect the gun industry in every way possible,” Attorney General Letitia James said. “But, today, New York state took an important step to right that wrong and protect its citizens from gun violence.”
It’s unclear, however, whether that argument will survive being challenged in court.
James said she is “ready to defend” the law, which, for example, would allow her or a locality to sue gun manufacturers for harming the public by neglecting to take steps to prevent firearms from being sold unlawfully in New York.
Cuomo also said Tuesday he would declare that gun violence in his state is a “disaster emergency” and start tracking hotspots of shootings. Cuomo said declaring the emergency will make it easier to spend money on efforts to address and reduce gun violence.
The Democrat said he’s launching an office on gun violence prevention to collect data from the state’s major police departments. And he said a new Governor’s Council on Gun Violence Reduction will come up with recommendations to address gun violence.
Cuomo didn’t release specifics on the initiatives immediately Tuesday, including the cost of the new office, how much emergency money or what kind of “resources” would be sent to hot spots, or how exactly the state plans to reduce and prevent gun violence.
You know whats funny, the very states that are democrat are the very states with high violence rates.
Perhaps, just perhaps, the issue isn’t gun control, perhaps its your leadership, or lack of thereof
This is frankly bizarre. Do the manufacturers of tire irons have liability if someone used it to smash someone on the head and commit murder? We have veered seriously away from holding criminals responsible for their choices. Now it’s the manufacturer. Our legislative system has gone crazy. So someone committed a murder with a gun. The shooter gets free sports tickets and a meal with the mayor. The manufacturer of the gun is the one liable. Sodom.
Coumo is this biggest murder and his policy’s are the real reason for all the shootings
On this same logic, we should sue the government for allowing Andrew Cuomo to hold position as Governor.
Mr. Cuomo: Stop wasting our time with your nonsense. This is nothing more than grandstanding by a bunch of liberal politicians and will lead nowhere. Since 2005, gun manufacturers have been protected from lawsuits under the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). All challenges to this law have failed.
For you liberals, lets also propose the following: whiskey distillers should be held liable each time a drunkard gets into a car accident – the distillers will go out of business and we won’t have drunks any more (shul kiddushes may become boring); car manufacturers should also be held liable each time their vehicle is in an accident; how about holding knife manufacturers liable each time someone gets stabbed; and finally, match and lighter manufacturers should be liable for forest fires. It’s only fair.
Because the Democrats don’t have the brains nor the will to fight gun violence at the root; which is to blame and punish bad behavior. There are tens of millions of law abiding gun owners that don’t seem to have a problem not committing violent crime with it! Low life Dummies!!
Federal law is very clear; you can not sue a manufacturer for misuse of a product. The reason the Lawful Commerce in Arms Act exists is because corrupt left wing attorneys were suing gun makers anyway. Not in hopes of winning but in an attempt to bankrupt them due to legal costs. The Act affirmed the same protections all other product manufacturers have.
Here we have the same corrupt ambulance chasers trying to pursue their abuses again because the believe the current regime will let them get away with it.
Someone is scared of a progressive primary and overthrow. The wicked antichos is getting antsy