Mike Levin: “although I am tempted to allow the reading to take place, it is a short amendment, and I am going to read the heart of…”

“although I am tempted to allow the reading to take place, it is a short amendment, and I am going to read the heart of it myself: Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit a civil liability action from being brought or continued against a person if the gross negligence or reckless conduct of that person was a proximate cause of death or injury. The bill itself provides in section 2, page 3, that the purpose of this bill--one of them--is that ``the possibility of imposing liability on an entire industry for harm that is solely caused by others is an abuse of the legal system. . . .'' And I agree with that. On page 5 of the bill where it states its purpose: Purpose.-- (1) To prohibit causes of action against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers of firearms or ammunition products . . . for the harm solely caused by the criminal or unlawful misuse of firearm products by others. . . . And I agree with that. Nobody should be held responsible or accountable for harm which is perpetrated by others. What about their own reckless or negligent conduct? When we look at the language of this bill, it is not just that manufacturers and dealers are not held accountable for the misconduct of others, except for three or four very narrowly described categories, they are off the hook for their own misconduct, their own reckless conduct, their own negligent misconduct. And that is what my amendment seeks to correct or clarify.…”