Gun Lawsuits

Argus Leader:

With pheasant season in full swing, South Dakota's burgeoning gun industry applauds passage of federal legislation to shield gun manufacturers and dealers from lawsuits.
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Rep. Stephanie Herseth, D-S.D., voted for the House bill that passed Thursday by a vote of 279-143. She said the measure will help the state's gun industry.

"This is a good development for South Dakota, for those who are gun owners, hunters and sportsmen and also for the developing industry," she said.

Sens. Tim Johnson, a Democrat, and John Thune co-sponsored the Senate bill.

"It's a Bill of Rights issue," said Thune, a Republican who boasted of hunting for pheasants while in South Dakota last week. "Law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms."

There are 22 firearms companies based in South Dakota, providing more than 500 jobs in the state. At H-S Precision in Rapid City, a lawsuit would put the company out of business, said Todd Houghton, vice president of sales and marketing.

The company employs about 75 people and sells about $6 million to $8 million in rifles yearly, he said. Although the company does not make handguns, he said he saw his insurance rates go up virtually overnight when crime victims began suing gun manufacturers and dealers.