Massachusetts lawmakers are preparing to debate a bill that would open the door for lawsuits against gun manufacturers, distributors, and sellers if their firearms are later used in crimes.

The proposal, pushed by Democrat legislators and gun control groups, would force gun companies to follow new so-called “reasonable controls.” These would include business practices intended to stop sales to people who are prohibited from owning firearms or those labeled as a “substantial risk” to themselves or others.

The Boston Herald reported that the bill would also require gun makers and sellers to make sure their products are not “designed, sold, and advertised to promote the conversion of legal products into illegal products, or in a way that targets minors or individuals prohibited from possessing guns.”

Supporters claim the bill is about accountability. Opponents say it’s nothing more than an attempt to destroy the gun industry through endless litigation.

Gun rights advocates argue that no company should be held responsible for crimes committed by individuals who misuse legal products. They warn that this bill could drive manufacturers out of business and severely limit access for law-abiding gun owners.

Everytown for Gun Safety, one of the nation’s largest gun control organizations, praised the legislation.

Everytown Policy Counsel Elisabeth Ryan said, “Basically, the argument has always been, ‘Well, we’re not responsible for the criminal. When somebody else takes a gun and uses it criminally, that has nothing to do with us.’ And this… legislation is saying, ‘No, it does have something to do with you, because if you contribute to getting it there unlawfully, then you can be held responsible for that.’”

Gun makers argue that such logic ignores basic fairness and legal precedent. Firearms companies already operate under strict federal and state laws regulating who can buy or sell weapons, and they say that holding them accountable for third-party crimes is unconstitutional.

Industry advocates point out that this kind of law would never be applied to other manufacturers. For instance, car companies aren’t sued when a drunk driver causes an accident, and knife makers aren’t sued when someone commits a stabbing.

Critics also warn that this bill could set a dangerous national precedent. If Massachusetts passes the law, other blue states may follow, creating a wave of lawsuits designed to cripple the industry and bypass Congress’s protections for gun manufacturers under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.

That federal law, passed in 2005, shields gun makers from being held liable for crimes committed with their products, unless the company knowingly broke existing laws during the sale or distribution.

Gun control activists have long pushed to erode those protections through state-level laws and lawsuits. The Massachusetts bill represents one of the most aggressive efforts yet to dismantle those safeguards.

Gun rights groups are expected to challenge the legislation in court if it passes, arguing that it directly conflicts with federal protections and violates the Second Amendment.

The debate is expected to be fierce, with Democrats framing the proposal as “responsibility” and Republicans calling it a deliberate attack on lawful gun ownership.

As the fight heats up, one thing is clear — Massachusetts has become the latest battleground in the Democrats’ push to weaken America’s firearms industry through the courts rather than through Congress.