Sen. Cornyn Introduces Bill to Shield Gun Makers from Lawsuits
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was recently introduced in the Senate and sent to the Committee on the Judiciary for review. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
This bill is supported only by Republicans and faces strong opposition from Democrats who want to make it easier to sue gun makers. It is unlikely to move forward in a divided Congress.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
People harmed by gun violence who have sought accountability through the courts lose an avenue for justice. The bill narrows the definition of negligent entrustment so it only applies when the person directly given the gun by the seller causes the harm, not when a gun is later passed along to someone who uses it criminally. This limits claims by those directly injured by gun violence.
“does not include instances in which the harm was caused by a person who was not entrusted with the qualified product directly by the seller”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn introduced the SHOT Act to strengthen federal protections for firearms manufacturers against civil lawsuits. The bill updates the PLCAA to close loopholes used by anti-gun groups and would require dismissal of pending cases and prevent foreign governments from suing.
The SHOT Act aims to close legal pathways used to weaken the PLCAA. It would prohibit foreign governments from suing U.S. gun companies, expand protections to include accessories like magazines and optics, and allow defendants to move state-court cases to federal court.
Sixteen Senate Republicans introduced the SHOT Act to provide enhanced protections to the firearms industry. The bill would clarify that federal protections preempt state laws and would allow industry defendants to take immediate appeals if a motion to dismiss is denied.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.