Rep. wants to stop gun lawsuits

Rep. Valde Garcia (R-St. Johns) said he wanted to wait until his bill was written to announce it. But reports that Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm was considering a lawsuit against gun manufacturers caused him to issue a news release.

"I felt it best we make this announcement now so those concerned would know that legislation may be enacted which will prohibit their suits," Garcia said in the statement.

Granholm spokesperson Chris De Witt said the legislation might be premature, since Granholm has no plans to pursue a lawsuit now.

"We would certainly have concerns about any restrictions that are put on the powers of this office," De Witt said about the proposed bill. "There certainly would be some questions about the constitutionality of what the representative is considering."

Garcia said his bill would not prevent state officials or local prosecutors from going after gun manufacturers that evade firearm laws, but protect the rights of gun owners and businesses that obey state laws.

A federal jury in New York last week returned a $4 million verdict against gun manufacturers found liable for shootings. The plaintiffs argued successfully that the industry's negligence in marketing and distribution allowed weapons to flow illegally to states with strict anti-gun laws.

Chicago, New Orleans, Bridgeport, Conn., and Miami-Dade County are suing the industry, patterning their lawsuits after lawsuits forcing tobacco companies to pay billions of dollars to states that spent Medicaid dollars caring for people with smoking-related illnesses.

Most of the gun lawsuits allege that manufacturers are making products that lack safety features, bear inadequate warnings and often are used by unauthorized persons.

Pro-gun groups have responded by lobbying state legislatures to pass laws prohibiting such suits. Last week in Georgia, the National Rifle Association successfully lobbied the Legislature to approve a law designed to override local lawsuits.

Garcia said he isn't alone in wanting to discourage suits against gun manufacturers. Suing gun manufacturers could bring strong, organized opposition in Michigan, where 800,000 deer hunters comprise only part of all gun owners.

A report by the American College of Physicians estimated that firearms injuries nationwide cost $4 billion a year, along with $19 billion in related costs such as lost earnings.

02-19-99