S 2048 · 118th Congress 2023–2025, ended

Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act

Introduced Jun 20, 2023 Originated Senate Sponsor Richard Blumenthal D-CT

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · Jun 20, 2023 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedJun 20, 2023
  2. Passed SenateNot reached
  3. Passed HouseNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act

This bill removes limitations on the civil liability of gun manufacturers and the disclosure of gun trace data in civil actions.

Specifically, the bill repeals the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prohibits civil actions against a firearm or ammunition manufacturer, seller, importer, dealer, or trade association for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm.

Additionally, the bill states that firearms trace data maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is not immune from legal process. Such data is subject to discovery; is admissible as evidence; and may be used, relied on, or disclosed in a civil action or administrative proceeding.

Cosponsors 29

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jun 20, 2023 to Apr 15, 2024; 25 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-CAAlex PadillaOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-MDBenjamin L. CardinOriginalJun 20, 2023
I-VTBernard SandersOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-MDChris Van HollenOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-DEChristopher A. CoonsOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-CTChristopher MurphyOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-NJCory A. BookerOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-CADianne FeinsteinOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-MAEdward J. MarkeyOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-MAElizabeth WarrenOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-RIJack ReedOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-ORJeff MerkleyOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-PAJohn FettermanOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-NYKirsten E. GillibrandOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-HIMazie K. HironoOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-VTPeter WelchOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-ILRichard J. DurbinOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-NJRobert MenendezOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-PARobert P. Casey Jr.OriginalJun 20, 2023
D-ORRon WydenOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-RISheldon WhitehouseOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-WITammy BaldwinOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-ILTammy DuckworthOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-DEThomas R. CarperOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-VATim KaineOriginalJun 20, 2023
D-NYCharles E. SchumerDec 13, 2023
D-WAPatty MurrayMar 14, 2024
D-CALaphonza R. ButlerMar 19, 2024
D-COJohn W. HickenlooperApr 15, 2024

Committees 1

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
SenateJudiciary Committee
Referred Jun 20, 2023

Actions 2

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Jun 20, 2023Introduced in Senate
  2. Jun 20, 2023Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Printed hearings 1

Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.

NumberHearingCommitteeHeld
S. Hrg. 118-706THE COST OF INACTION AND THE URGENT NEED TO REFORM THE U.S. TRANSPLANT SYSTEM119 pagesFinance CommitteeJul 20, 2023

Related bills 4

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 1338Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence ActReintroduction ofApr 22, 2021
S 3407Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act of 2023Related billDec 5, 2023
HR 4184Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2023Related billJun 15, 2023
HR 6596Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act of 2023Related billDec 8, 2023

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
A bill to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, and provide for the discoverability and admissibility of gun trace information in civil proceedings.
Short Title(s) as Introduced
Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Jun 20, 2023Introduced in Senate

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.