The bill was approved by a vote of 50-20 and now heads to the California State Senate for consideration.
If enacted, the bill will create an industry standard of conduct in California that will require manufacturers and sellers to establish reasonable controls on the sale and marketing of guns.
In the language of the legislative comments that accompanied the bill, gun manufacturers and sellers may be sued if they are "irresponsible, reckless, and negligent in the sale or marketing of their products in California."
Another category would be sales that target minors or other individuals legally prohibited from buying firearms.
The statute is designed to permit state law actions against gun manufacturers and sellers that might otherwise be precluded by the federal "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act." The federal statute provides immunity to manufacturers and sellers if a gun they have sold is used illegally.
In addition to individuals who have been harmed by gun violence in California, the bill allows the attorney general, as well as city and county attorneys, to bring actions to enforce the provisions of the bill.
If enacted, the bill would take effect July 1, 2023.
