Joey Garrison | USA TODAY 8/5/2021
• Attorneys general from 7 states plus D.C. will talk with the White House about fighting gun violence.
• The federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act is expected to be a key point of discussion.
WASHINGTON — White House officials met Thursday with attorneys general from seven states and the District of Columbia to discuss steps they can take to "hold accountable" gun manufacturers and dealers whose firearms wind up in shootings.
The virtual meeting, which lasted an hour, reflected a push by President Joe Biden to enlist states in his strategy to combat soaring gun violence as the Justice Department ramps up efforts at the federal level. Gun-related deaths are up 14% this year over 2020, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a research nonprofit.
A key part of the discussion was expected to center on the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which gives gun manufacturers and dealers blanket immunity for being liable when their products are used to commit crimes. Biden has pushed for Congress to repeal the law, but that's unlikely in the Senate, where it would need 60 votes.
White House officials stressed that PLCAA provides a "predicate exception" for states that have their own laws that allow plaintiffs to seek claims against gun manufacturers and dealers for some culpability.
More:
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/08/05/gun-violence-white-house-state-ags-huddle-accountability/5496100001/