in Gun Page World News Tennessee Creates ‘Second Amendment Sanctuary,’ Protecting Firearms Industry From Weaponized Lawsuits
by Kevin Stocklin
As gunmakers flee an increasingly inhospitable environment in blue states, Tennessee lawmakers took action this month to protect the state’s firearms industry from a proliferation of “weaponized” lawsuits.
On April 15, the Tennessee General Assembly passed House Bill 873 / Senate Bill 1360, which shields manufacturers and sellers of guns, ammunition, and other weapons from lawsuits over the criminal misuse of their products by a third party. The legislation was approved by an overwhelming majority in both houses.
Tennessee is the home of manufacturers and sellers such as Beretta USA, Smith & Wesson, TROY Industries, and Barrett Firearms Manufacturing.
“There’s a rabid anti-gun climate, primarily among Democrats, but even other nations that want to be able to fund continuous lawsuits against American firearms manufacturers,” Republican state Rep. Monty Fritts, who sponsored the bill in the Tennessee House, told The Daily Signal. “We’ve seen over the last decade just a continuous attempt to litigate, often after some horrible tragedy has taken place, and they want to hold the firearms manufacturer accountable for any evil person.”
In addition to successful lawsuits against gunmakers Remington Firearms and Bushmaster Firearms by U.S. plaintiffs, Mexico is currently suing U.S. gunmakers as well, blaming them for the rise of drug cartel-related violence. Mexico’s suit is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.
“With this law, radical anti-gun groups can no longer weaponize courts in California or New York to attack the Second Amendment industry in Tennessee,” Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Gun Owners of America, stated. The Second Amendment advocacy group assisted lawmakers in drafting the Tennessee bill, which they hope can become a model for other states.