Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-4184
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-30]
Introduced: 2023-06-15
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Latest action: action_date: 2023-06-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-06-15
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2023</strong></p><p>This bill removes limitations on the civil liability of gun manufacturers and the disclosure of gun trace data in civil actions.</p><p>Specifically, the bill repeals the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prohibits civil actions against a firearm or ammunition manufacturer, seller, importer, dealer, or trade association for damages resulting from 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 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4184 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 15, 2023 Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mr. Evans , Mr. Crow , Mr. Auchincloss , Ms. Balint , Mr. Beyer , Mr. Blumenauer , Ms. Bonamici , Ms. Bush , Mr. Carbajal , Mr. Carson , Mr. Casten , Ms. Chu , Mr. Cleaver , Mr. Connolly , Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania , Ms. DelBene , Mr. DeSaulnier , Mr. Espaillat , Mrs. Foushee , Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida , Mr. Frost , Mr. Garamendi , Mr. Robert Garcia of California , Mr. Gomez , Mr. Higgins of New York , Ms. Jayapal , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Mr. Khanna , Mr. Kim of New Jersey , Ms. Lee of California , Mr. Lynch , Ms. Meng , Mr. Morelle , Mr. Nadler , Mr. Neguse , Ms. Norton , Ms. Pettersen , Mr. Pocan , Ms. Porter , Mr. Quigley , Ms. Scanlon , Ms. Schakowsky , Mr. David Scott of Georgia , Ms. Stevens , Ms. Strickland , Mr. Swalwell , Ms. Titus , Ms. Tlaib , Mr. Torres of New York , Ms. Williams of Georgia , and Ms. Wilson of Florida ) 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 of 2023 . 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.