Bill targets suits against gun owners

[demsrule4life]

Indiana lawmakers want to grant gun owners almost complete protection from lawsuits -- an effort that has alarmed national safety groups and local advocates who say Hoosiers should be held responsible if they don't take reasonable steps to safeguard their weapons.

http://www.indystar.com/articles/4/120101-2874-009.html

Have at it. :)

[Withergyld]

1. No link to the actual bill itself??

I want to see what the bill says.

[MrBenchley]

2. Guess what party is behind that atrocity?

If you said Republican, you'd be right.

"Don Heckdisagrees. His son Eryk, an Allen County sheriff's deputy, was killed in 1997 by Timothy Stoffer, a convicted felon. The Indiana Supreme Court ruling lawmakers are trying to undo came in Heck's lawsuit.
Stoffer took the gun from his parents. Heck sued on behalf of his son, arguing that Stoffer's parents knew their son was fleeing police and should have safeguarded their gun. The gun was kept in an armchair in a bedroom, according to court documents."

Gee, the gun rights group has just the nicest poster boys....

[MrSandman]

7. And guess which party is behind this law?

§55-18-2. Authority to bring suit against manufacturers, sellers, trade associations or dealers of firearms.

The authority to bring suit and the right to recover against any firearms or ammunition manufacturer, seller, trade association or dealer of firearms by or on behalf of any county or municipality in this state for damages, abatement or injunctive relief resulting from or relating to the design, manufacture, marketing, or sale of firearms or ammunition to the public is reserved exclusively to the state: Provided, That nothing contained in this article may prohibit a county or municipality from bringing an action for breach of contract or warranty as to firearms or ammunition purchased by the county or municipality

From WV State Code

http://129.71.164.29/wvcode/55/WVC%2055%20%20-%2018%20%20-%20%20%202%20%20.htm#HD0


BTW, this is not bashing

[Withergyld]

3. I found the text of the bill

http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2004/HB/HB1349.2.html
This is the only part of the bill that talks about immunity:
" Chapter 20. Immunity of Firearm Owner if Firearm Used in a Crime
Sec. 1. A person is immune from civil liability based on an act or omission related to a firearm owned or controlled by the person, unless the person entrusted the firearm to another person in furtherance of a criminal act."

[lcordero]

4. I'm pro-gun rights to the extreme but

gun owners should not be immune from getting sued. Stoffer's parents should be thrown in jail.
Also, a gun owner that has children in the house should make sure that the gun isn't accessable to their children. They should be thrown in jail too if a accidental gun discharge involving a minor happens in their home.

[DoNotRefill]

6. Stoffer stole the gun.

He didn't have permission to take it.

[alwynsw]

5. It's a good thing in principle, but a bit too broad

Teach your kids. Train your kids. Lock the guns up anyway if kids live in or have access to your home.

I keep most of my guns in safes. I keep them there to deter thieves. There are no kids in my household anymore. The fact that kids rarely visit makes it simple for me. I only have to lock up a couple of pieces if kids come to visit. I do that by locking my bedroom door.

I agree that gun owners should be held harmless for the actions of another adult. Would anyone here push for the prosecution of someone who loaned a friend their vehicle and that friend used that vehicle to commit a crime? Also, locked in your own home should be sufficient grounds to absolve you of guilt or liability if a burglar defeats the locks and steals your gun, then uses it in a crime. He/she committed a crime by taking it in the first place, right?

I could rant a while on this, but I'm feeling lazy today.