City of Milwaukee - File #: 981205

• File #: 981205
• Version: 1
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 11/24/1998
• In control: JUDICIARY & LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
• Final action: 12/18/1998
• Title: Substitute resolution relating to initiation of a lawsuit against various companies and organizations to recover damage to the City of Milwaukee from the sale of firearms that fail to incorporate safety designs to prevent their use by children and other unauthorized users.
• Sponsors: ALD. MURPHY, ALD. PRATT, ALD. D'AMATO, ALD. HENNINGSEN, ALD. JOHNSON-ODOM, Fredrick Gordon, ALD. RICHARDS, ALD. BUTLER, ALD. HINES JR.
• Indexes: CHILDREN, FIREARMS, SAFETY MEASURES, SUITS

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
12/29/1998	1	MAYOR	SIGNED
12/18/1998	1	COMMON COUNCIL	ADOPTED	Pass	15:2
12/14/1998	1	JUDICIARY & LEGISLATION COMMITTEE	RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION	Pass	5:0
12/8/1998	1	JUDICIARY & LEGISLATION COMMITTEE	HEARING NOTICES SENT
12/8/1998	1	CITY CLERK	DRAFT SUBMITTED
12/7/1998	0	JUDICIARY & LEGISLATION COMMITTEE	REFERRED TO
11/24/1998	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ASSIGNED TO

NUMB:
981205
VERS:
SUBSTITUTE 1
REF:

XXBY:
ALD. MURPHY, PRATT, D'AMATO, HENNINGSEN, JOHNSON-ODOM, GORDON, RICHARDS, BUTLER AND HINES
TITL:
Substitute resolution relating to initiation of a lawsuit against various companies and organizations to recover damage to the City of Milwaukee from the sale of firearms that fail to incorporate safety designs to prevent their use by children and other unauthorized users.
ANLS:
- Analysis -

This resolution requests the City Attorney to evaluate the feasibility of, jointly with Milwaukee County, filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers and distributors of firearms for their failure to use available means to help prevent unauthorized use of firearms, particularly by children. The resolution requests the City Attorney to report his findings and recommendations to the Common Council.
BODY:
Whereas, Firearms are legal consumer products which have the potential for tragic misuse by persons who are unauthorized to use them or by children who are too young to appreciate the consequences of their actions; and

Whereas, Several devices are currently available to prevent unauthorized persons from using firearms, but that technology has not been incorporated into the designs of the products of any major handgun manufacturers; and

Whereas, A device to clearly indicate that a bullet is in the chamber of a handgun could prevent those firearm injuries and deaths caused by users who incorrectly assume that removal of the clip from a handgun means that the gun is not loaded, but manufacturers have not incorporated such warning devices into their products; and

Whereas, Some widely-sold pistols are not even equipped by their manufacturers with external safety devices which, although limited in their effectiveness, may act to prevent some unauthorized uses; and

Whereas, It is clear that the technology to prevent the use of firearms by children and other unauthorized users has been available for incorporati...