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http://www.miami.com/herald/content/news/local/florida/digdocs/016629.htm=


Published Wednesday, May 2, 2001=20


Gov. Bush signs gun bill
Law to protect manufacturers=20
BY STEVE BOUSQUET=20
sbousquet@herald.com=20


TALLAHASSEE -- In a victory for the National Rifle Association, Gov. Jeb =
Bush Tuesday signed a new law blocking cities and counties from suing =
gun manufacturers. The bill is a response to Miami-Dade's efforts to =
force gun makers to pay the health costs of gunshot victims.=20

Bush signed the bill in his office after congratulating a group of =
Republican lawmakers who championed the measure, and giving the bill's =
most vocal Florida advocate, NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer, a friendly kiss =
on the cheek.=20

The governor said he saw no contradiction between his support for a ban =
on gun lawsuits and his longstanding preference of local decision making =
over state intrusion.=20

``This is not a question of local control,'' Bush said. ``This is a =
question of, is it appropriate for municipalities to sue for political =
purposes? My answer is, there are ways to deal with the use of guns. =
It's not to sue the manufacturers; it's to punish the criminals who use =
them.''=20

Miami-Dade's lawsuit is not affected by the new legislation, but Bush =
said he hoped the law might send a message to county leaders. The =
county, at the urging of Mayor Alex Penelas, filed suit in 1999, =
following the lead of New Orleans and other cities.=20

The bill had passed the Senate 27-12, and the House 78-35, with South =
Florida Democrats casting most of the No votes.=20

Lawmakers at the bill signing included Reps. Allan Bense, R-Panama City; =
Jerry Paul, R-Englewood; Jeff Miller, R-Pace; Joe Spratt, R-LaBelle, and =
Sen. Charles Bronson, R-Indian Harbour Beach, a candidate for state =
agriculture commissioner in 2002.=20

Bronson had tried to expand his bill to prevent lawsuits against any =
lawful product except for cases of defective workmanship or warranty =
violations, but he was forced to drop the idea because of resistance =
from fellow senators.=20

The governor said he would have signed the broader provision.=20

This is the third year in a row the NRA has sought a ban on gun industry =
lawsuits.=20

The first time the bill came up, in 1999, it was headed for passage when =
it was postponed, at the request of Bush and legislative leaders, after =
the shooting deaths of students at Columbine High School in Colorado.=20

Tuesday's signing marked=20
the second major piece of legislation Bush has signed this session. The =
first was the bill restricting public access to autopsy photographs.




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<DIV><FONT size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.miami.com/herald/content/news/local/florida/digdocs/01=
6629.htm">http://www.miami.com/herald/content/news/local/florida/digdocs/=
016629.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><EM>Published Wednesday, <NOBR>May 2, 2001</NOBR> =
</SNML_FOLIO></EM>
<P></P>
<P><EM></EM><FONT face=3D"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"=20
size=3D-1><!-- docstart --><SNML_HEADLINES>
<H2>Gov. Bush signs gun bill</H2><FONT size=3D+1><B><I>Law to protect=20
manufacturers</I></B></FONT>=20
<P></SNML_HEADLINES><SNML_BYLINE><FONT face=3D"Arial, Helvetica" =
size=3D-1><B>BY=20
STEVE BOUSQUET </B></FONT><BR><SNML_CREDIT_LINE><FONT face=3D"Arial, =
Helvetica"=20
size=3D-1><A =
href=3D"mailto:sbousquet@herald.com">sbousquet@herald.com</A></FONT>=20
</SNML_CREDIT_LINE>
<P></SNML_BYLINE>
<P><SNML_BODY><SNML_LEAD>TALLAHASSEE -- In a victory for the National =
Rifle=20
Association, Gov. Jeb Bush Tuesday signed a new law blocking cities and =
counties=20
from suing gun manufacturers. The bill is a response to Miami-Dade's =
efforts to=20
force gun makers to pay the health costs of gunshot victims.=20
<P></SNML_LEAD>Bush signed the bill in his office after congratulating a =
group=20
of Republican lawmakers who championed the measure, and giving the =
bill's most=20
vocal Florida advocate, NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer, a friendly kiss on =
the=20
cheek.=20
<P>The governor said he saw no contradiction between his support for a =
ban on=20
gun lawsuits and his longstanding preference of local decision making =
over state=20
intrusion.=20
<P>``This is not a question of local control,'' Bush said. ``This is a =
question=20
of, is it appropriate for municipalities to sue for political purposes? =
My=20
answer is, there are ways to deal with the use of guns. It's not to sue =
the=20
manufacturers; it's to punish the criminals who use them.''=20
<P>Miami-Dade's lawsuit is not affected by the new legislation, but Bush =
said he=20
hoped the law might send a message to county leaders. The county, at the =
urging=20
of Mayor Alex Penelas, filed suit in 1999, following the lead of New =
Orleans and=20
other cities.=20
<P>The bill had passed the Senate 27-12, and the House 78-35, with South =
Florida=20
Democrats casting most of the No votes.=20
<P>Lawmakers at the bill signing included Reps. Allan Bense, R-Panama =
City;=20
Jerry Paul, R-Englewood; Jeff Miller, R-Pace; Joe Spratt, R-LaBelle, and =
Sen.=20
Charles Bronson, R-Indian Harbour Beach, a candidate for state =
agriculture=20
commissioner in 2002.=20
<P>Bronson had tried to expand his bill to prevent lawsuits against any =
lawful=20
product except for cases of defective workmanship or warranty =
violations, but he=20
was forced to drop the idea because of resistance from fellow senators.=20
<P>The governor said he would have signed the broader provision.=20
<P>This is the third year in a row the NRA has sought a ban on gun =
industry=20
lawsuits.=20
<P>The first time the bill came up, in 1999, it was headed for passage =
when it=20
was postponed, at the request of Bush and legislative leaders, after the =

shooting deaths of students at Columbine High School in Colorado.=20
<P>Tuesday's signing marked <BR>the second major piece of legislation =
Bush has=20
signed this session. The first was the bill restricting public access to =
autopsy=20
photographs.</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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