'Protecting Heartbeats Act': Illinois gun bill inspired by Texas abortion law
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A new bill in Illinois would let people sue gun manufacturers for gun violence.
On Tuesday, State Representative Margaret Croke introduced the "Protecting Heartbeats Act."
If passed, it would let people sue the manufacturers, importers or dealers for gun-related injuries or deaths.
"Too many Illinoisans die each year from senseless gun violence and we need to be doing everything in our power to keep people safe and prevent more guns from flooding into our communities," State Representative Croke said in a statement.
The bill is inspired by the Texas abortion law, which lets individuals sue people who help women get abortions.
"In its ruling in Texas, the Supreme Court allowed citizens to take civil action against anyone in violation of the law. Our state has the opportunity to employ this same logic to hold gun manufacturers, importers, and dealers accountable for their actions and stop preventable tragedies from taking the lives of more Illinoisans," Croke said.
If a person files a lawsuit under the Protecting Heartbeats Act and wins, the court would award the person "no less than $10,000 for each person injured or killed by the firearm."
A gun violence prevention organization estimates that more than 1,300 Illinoisans die of gun violence every year.