California governor advocates gun laws modeled on Texas ban on abortion Reuters

(Reuters) – California Governor Gavin Newsom said he plans to use a controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling on strict abortion restrictions in Texas to devise a law that would allow private citizens to sue some gun manufacturers, distributors and sellers.

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a Texas law that allows private citizens to sue anyone who commits or helps a woman have an abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.

The Texas law was devised by the Republican-controlled state legislature to avoid the usual means of legal challenge, because instead of making government officials accountable for enforcement, it instead gave private individuals the right to sue doctors who provide abortion services in Texas and anyone else who “helps or supports” the process.

Although it allowed Texas law to remain in force, the court ruled that a legal dispute could be filed against the measure, which critics say represents justice as a precaution.

Newsom, a Democrat, said Saturday that his team will work with Attorney General Rob Bont and the legislature to draft a proposal under Texas law that would allow citizens to sue manufacturers, sellers or distributors of assault weapons or ghost weapons kits. at least $ 10,000 per violation.

“I am outraged by yesterday’s decision of the US Supreme Court, which allows the ban on most abortion services in Texas to remain in force,” he told News in a statement https: //

“If states can now protect their laws from being reviewed by federal courts that compare assault weapons to Swiss Army knives, then California will use that power to protect people’s lives, while Texas used them to put women in danger.”

Liberal Judge Sonia Sotomayor, disagreeing with Friday’s decision, condemned the court’s majority for failing to “put an end to this madness” and warned that other states could try to copy the enforcement mechanism in Texas.

President Joe Biden said he was “very concerned” about the decision to keep the abortion ban in force, but said it was “encouraging” that the court allowed part of the abortion service provider’s lawsuit to continue.