PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Defines key words used in the chapter about firearms and ammunition liability. Engaged in the business means having the job of regularly selling ammunition or firearms to make a living (see 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(21)). Manufacturer means someone who makes a qualified product in interstate or foreign commerce and is licensed under chapter 44 of title 18. Person means any individual or any type of organization, including government. Qualified product means a firearm (including some antiques), ammunition, or parts that moved across state or national borders. Seller means a licensed importer or dealer under chapter 44 of title 18, or someone who sells ammunition at wholesale or retail as a business. State includes the 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, the territories and their political subdivisions. Trade association means a nonprofit business group (a 501(c)(6)) with at least two members who make or sell qualified products. Unlawful misuse means using a qualified product in a way that breaks a law, rule, or ordinance. Qualified civil liability action means a civil or administrative case someone brings against a manufacturer, seller, or trade group for harm from criminal or illegal use of a qualified product, seeking money, orders, or other relief. It does not include: (i) suits by a directly harmed victim against a transferor convicted under 18 U.S.C. 924(h); (ii) suits against a seller for negligent entrustment or negligence per se (negligent entrustment means giving a product to someone the seller knew or should have known would use it dangerously); (iii) cases where the manufacturer or seller knowingly broke a law about sale or marketing and that violation was a proximate cause of the harm, including falsifying required records or helping sell to someone barred under 18 U.S.C. 922(g) or (n); (iv) breach of contract or warranty claims; (v) claims for death, injury, or property damage caused directly by a design or manufacturing defect when used as intended or in a foreseeable way (if a voluntary criminal act caused the discharge, that act is the sole proximate cause); or (vi) enforcement actions started by the Attorney General under chapter 44 of title 18 or chapter 53 of title 26. The listed exceptions should be read so they do not conflict, and nothing here creates a new private or public cause of action. The law also preserves the right of people under 17 to seek damages under federal or state law in cases that meet one of the listed exceptions.

Title 15, §7903

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this chapter:

(1)Engaged in the business

The term “engaged in the business” has the meaning given that term in section 921(a)(21) of title 18, and, as applied to a seller of ammunition, means a person who devotes time, attention, and labor to the sale of ammunition as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through the sale or distribution of ammunition.

(2)Manufacturer

The term “manufacturer” means, with respect to a qualified product, a person who is engaged in the business of manufacturing the product in interstate or foreign commerce and who is licensed to engage in business as such a manufacturer under chapter 44 of title 18.

(3)Person

The term “person” means any individual, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society, joint stock company, or any other entity, including any governmental entity.

(4)Qualified product

The term “qualified product” means a firearm (as defined in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 921(a)(3) of title 18), including any antique firearm (as defined in section 921(a)(16) of such title), or ammunition (as defined in section 921(a)(17)(A) of such title), or a component part of a firearm or ammunition, that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

(5)Qualified civil liability action

(A)In general

The term “qualified civil liability action” means a civil action or proceeding or an administrative proceeding brought by any person against a manufacturer or seller of a qualified product, or a trade association, for damages, punitive damages, injunctive or declaratory relief, abatement, restitution, fines, or penalties, or other relief, resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a qualified product by the person or a third party, but shall not include—

(i)an action brought against a transferor convicted under section 924(h) of title 18, or a comparable or identical State felony law, by a party directly harmed by the conduct of which the transferee is so convicted;

(ii)an action brought against a seller for negligent entrustment or negligence per se;

(iii)an action in which a manufacturer or seller of a qualified product knowingly violated a State or Federal statute applicable to the sale or marketing of the product, and the violation was a proximate cause of the harm for which relief is sought, including—

(I)any case in which the manufacturer or seller knowingly made any false entry in, or failed to make appropriate entry in, any record required to be kept under Federal or State law with respect to the qualified product, or aided, abetted, or conspired with any person in making any false or fictitious oral or written statement with respect to any fact material to the lawfulness of the sale or other disposition of a qualified product; or

(II)any case in which the manufacturer or seller aided, abetted, or conspired with any other person to sell or otherwise dispose of a qualified product, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that the actual buyer of the qualified product was prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm or ammunition under subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18;

(iv)an action for breach of contract or warranty in connection with the purchase of the product;

(v)an action for death, physical injuries or property damage resulting directly from a defect in design or manufacture of the product, when used as intended or in a reasonably foreseeable manner, except that where the discharge of the product was caused by a volitional act that constituted a criminal offense, then such act shall be considered the sole proximate cause of any resulting death, personal injuries or property damage; or

(vi)an action or proceeding commenced by the Attorney General to enforce the provisions of chapter 44 of title 18 or chapter 53 of title 26.

(B)Negligent entrustment

As used in subparagraph (A)(ii), the term “negligent entrustment” means the supplying of a qualified product by a seller for use by another person when the seller knows, or reasonably should know, the person to whom the product is supplied is likely to, and does, use the product in a manner involving unreasonable risk of physical injury to the person or others.

(C)Rule of construction

The exceptions enumerated under clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph (A) shall be construed so as not to be in conflict, and no provision of this chapter shall be construed to create a public or private cause of action or remedy.

(D)Minor child exception

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the right of a person under 17 years of age to recover damages authorized under Federal or State law in a civil action that meets 1 of the requirements under clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph (A).

(6)Seller

The term “seller” means, with respect to a qualified product—

(A)an importer (as defined in section 921(a)(9) of title 18) who is engaged in the business as such an importer in interstate or foreign commerce and who is licensed to engage in business as such an importer under chapter 44 of title 18;

(B)a dealer (as defined in section 921(a)(11) of title 18) who is engaged in the business as such a dealer in interstate or foreign commerce and who is licensed to engage in business as such a dealer under chapter 44 of title 18; or

(C)a person engaged in the business of selling ammunition (as defined in section 921(a)(17)(A) of title 18) in interstate or foreign commerce at the wholesale or retail level.

(7)State

The term “State” includes each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States, and any political subdivision of any such place.

(8)Trade association

The term “trade association” means—

(A)any corporation, unincorporated association, federation, business league, professional or business organization not organized or operated for profit and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual;

(B)that is an organization described in section 501(c)(6) of title 26 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such title; and

(9)Unlawful misuse

The term “unlawful misuse” means conduct that violates a statute, ordinance, or regulation as it relates to the use of a qualified product.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 109–92, Oct. 26, 2005, 119 Stat. 2095, known as the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 7901 of this title and Tables.

§7903 Definitions