Log in Sign up

Bill Details

HR.544 - 119th Congress

Track To provide a private right of action against the maker of any component of a ghost gun, and any person who facilitated a sale of the ghost gun, for injury or death resulting from the use of the ghost gun.? Stop tracking To provide a private right of action against the maker of any component of a ghost gun, and any person who facilitated a sale of the ghost gun, for injury or death resulting from the use of the ghost gun.?

When you track this bill you will receive emails when the bill has been updated.

You will no longer receive emails when this bill is updated.

To provide a private right of action against the maker of any component of a ghost gun, and any person who facilitated a sale of the ghost gun, for injury or death resulting from the use of the ghost gun.

To provide a private right of action against the maker of any component of a ghost gun, and any person who facilitated a sale of the ghost gun, for injury or death resulting from the use of the ghost gun.
Status
  1. Introduced
  2. Passed House
  3. Passed Senate
  4. To President
  5. Law
Latest action
2025-01-16 - Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced Date
2025-01-16
Policy Area
Crime and Law Enforcement
Committees
View committees (1)
Votes
View all votes for this bill →
8
0

AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.

This bill would let people who are injured, and family members of people who are killed, sue the maker of a ghost gun part or anyone who helped sell the ghost gun if the weapon was used in a way that involved interstate or foreign commerce. State and local governments where the injury or death happened could also bring a lawsuit. A court could order damages, including other related losses, if the lawsuit wins. The bill also allows two main defenses: if the harm came from someone acting to stop a serious and immediate threat, or from a police officer responding to a serious and immediate threat to public safety.

  • It creates a federal lawsuit for injuries or deaths caused by a ghost gun.
  • People who may sue include the injured person, close family members of someone killed, and the state and local government where it happened.
  • The lawsuit can be brought against the maker of a ghost gun component or anyone who helped sell the ghost gun.
  • A ghost gun is defined as a gun without a unique serial number on the frame or receiver, including parts made to build or convert something into a firearm.

Official Summaries

This bill establishes a private right of action against a maker of any component of a ghost gun or any person who facilitated any sale of a ghost gun. A ghost gun is a firearm that lacks a unique serial number.

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 544 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 544

To provide a private right of action against the maker of any component 
of a ghost gun, and any person who facilitated a sale of the ghost gun, 
      for injury or death resulting from the use of the ghost gun.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 16, 2025

    Mr. Torres of New York introduced the following bill; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide a private right of action against the maker of any component 
of a ghost gun, and any person who facilitated a sale of the ghost gun, 
      for injury or death resulting from the use of the ghost gun.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.

    (a) In General.--An individual who is injured, and any member of 
the family of an individual who is killed, by use of a ghost gun in or 
affecting interstate or foreign commerce, and the State and the 
political subdivision of the State in which the injury or death occurs, 
may bring an action in the United States district court for the 
judicial district in which the injury or death occurs against the maker 
of any component of the ghost gun or any person who facilitated any 
sale of the ghost gun, for damages resulting from the injury or death. 
The court may award a plaintiff prevailing in such an action such 
damages, including consequential damages, as the court deems 
appropriate.
    (b) Affirmative Defenses.--In an action brought under subsection 
(a), it shall be an affirmative defense that the injury or death was 
caused by conduct of--
            (1) an individual in defense against a reasonably perceived 
        imminent threat to the safety of an individual not engaged in a 
        violation of criminal law; or
            (2) a law enforcement officer in response to a reasonably 
        perceived imminent threat to public safety.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Ghost gun.--The term ``ghost gun'' means a firearm that 
        lacks a unique serial number engraved or cast on the frame or 
        receiver of the firearm by a licensed manufacturer or licensed 
        importer in accordance with section 923(i) of title 18, United 
        States Code, and includes any combination of parts designed or 
        intended to be assembled, or to be used in converting a device, 
        into a firearm.
            (2) Other terms.--The terms ``firearm'', ``licensed 
        manufacturer'', and ``licensed importer'' have the meanings 
        given the terms, respectively, in section 921(a) of title 18, 
        United States Code.
                                 <all>

Most Viewed

Trending

Recent Updates