Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act

Bill: 115-hr-3984
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-28]
Introduced: 2017-10-05
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Administrative remedies

Civil actions and liability

Criminal justice information and records

Evidence and witnesses

Firearms and explosives

Manufacturing

Product safety and quality
Latest action: action_date: 2017-10-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-10-05
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to repeal provisions that prohibit civil actions against a firearm or ammunition manufacturer, seller, importer, dealer, or trade association for the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm.</p> <p>Additionally, the bill states that firearms trace data maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is not immune from legal process. Such data is subject to discovery; is admissible as evidence; and may be used, relied on, or disclosed in a civil action or administrative proceeding. </p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3984 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 5, 2017 Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mr. Beyer , Mr. Blumenauer , Ms. Bonamici , Mr. Cicilline , Ms. Clark of Massachusetts , Mr. Cohen , Mr. Courtney , Mr. Cummings , Mr. DeSaulnier , Mr. Deutch , Mr. Ellison , Ms. Eshoo , Ms. Esty of Connecticut , Mr. Grijalva , Mr. Hastings , Mr. Himes , Mr. Huffman , Mrs. Napolitano , Ms. Norton , Mr. Pallone , Mr. Quigley , Mr. Serrano , Mr. Sires , Ms. Slaughter , Mr. Smith of Washington , Mr. Swalwell of California , Mr. Takano , and Mr. Yarmuth ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, and provide for the discoverability and admissibility of gun trace information in civil proceedings.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act . 2. Repeal of certain provisions of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Sections 2 through 4 of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7901–7903 ) are repealed. 3. Discoverability and admissibility of gun trace information in civil proceedings The contents of the Firearms Trace System database maintained by the National Trace Center of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shall not be immune from legal process, shall be subject to subpoena or other discovery, shall be admissible as evidence, and may be used, relied on, or disclosed in any manner, and testimony or other evidence may be permitted based on the data, on the same basis as other information, in a civil action in any State (including the District of Columbia) or Federal court or in an administrative proceeding.