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HB1551 • 2026

Products Liability for Firearms

Products Liability for Firearms

Firearms
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Judiciary Committee ; Duggan ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Buchanan ; Fabricio
Last action
2026-03-13
Official status
Senate - Died in Rules
Effective date
upon becom

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Products Liability for Firearms

Products Liability for Firearms; Provides that firearm manufacturer is not liable for certain torts based on absence or presence of certain features, mechanisms, or standards not required under federal law.

What This Bill Does

  • Products Liability for Firearms; Provides that firearm manufacturer is not liable for certain torts based on absence or presence of certain features, mechanisms, or standards not required under federal law.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

357083

Committee amendment H 1551 Filed • Duggan

Adopted 2/17/2026

Plain English: COMMITTEE/SUBCOMMITTEE AMENDMENT Bill No.

  • COMMITTEE/SUBCOMMITTEE AMENDMENT Bill No.
  • HB 1551 (2026) Amendment No.
  • 1 357083 - h1551-line 46.docx Published On: 2/14/2026 2:40:32 PM Page 1 of 1 COMMITTEE/SUBCOMMITTEE ACTION ADOPTED (Y/N) ADOPTED AS AMENDED (Y/N) ADOPTED W/O OBJECTION (Y/N) FAILED TO ADOPT (Y/N) WITHDRAWN (Y/N) OTHER Committee/Subcommittee hearing bill: Judiciary Committee 1 Representative Duggan offered the following: 2 3 Amendment (with title amendment) 4 Remove lines 46-48 and insert: 5 firearm contained an actual manufacturing or design defect or 6 failed to operate in a manner consistent with the manufacturer’s 7 express warranties or representations.
  • 8 (4) This section shall apply to causes of action filed 9 after the effective date of this act.
043387

Floor amendment H 1551 c1 • Nixon

House: Failed 3/5/2026

Plain English: HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No.

  • HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No.
  • CS/HB 1551 (2026) Amendment No.
  • 043387 Approved For Filing: 2/22/2026 9:07:34 AM Page 1 of 2 CHAMBER ACTION Senate House .
  • Representative Nixon offered the following: 1 2 Amendment (with title amendment) 3 Remove lines 32-44 and insert: 4 (2) In a products liability action involving a firearm 5 which is based on a theory of defective product design, 6 negligence, or strict liability based on the absence or presence 7 of any design feature, functionality, safety mechanism, or 8 performance standard that is not required by federal law as a 9 condition for the lawful manufacture, sale, import, or receipt 10 of the firearm, including, but not limited to: 11 (a) A magazine disconnect mechanism; 12 (b) A loaded chamber indicator; 13 HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No.
596601

Floor amendment H 1551 c1 • Nixon

House: Failed 3/5/2026

Plain English: HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No.

  • HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No.
  • CS/HB 1551 (2026) Amendment No.
  • 596601 Approved For Filing: 2/22/2026 9:07:42 AM Page 1 of 1 CHAMBER ACTION Senate House .
  • Representative Nixon offered the following: 1 2 Amendment 3 Remove lines 34-35 and insert: 4 product design, negligence, or strict liability based on the 5 absence or presence of any design 6
587691

Floor amendment H 1551 c1 • Rayner

House: Withdrawn 3/4/2026

Plain English: HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No.

  • HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No.
  • CS/HB 1551 (2026) Amendment No.
  • 587691 Approved For Filing: 2/20/2026 5:09:12 PM Page 1 of 1 CHAMBER ACTION Senate House .
  • Representative Rayner offered the following: 1 2 Amendment 3 Remove line 50 and insert: 4 (4) If a claim is brought by a law enforcement officer as 5 defined in s.
787357

Floor amendment H 1551 c1 • Nixon

House: Failed 3/5/2026

Plain English: HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No.

  • HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No.
  • CS/HB 1551 (2026) Amendment No.
  • 787357 Approved For Filing: 2/22/2026 9:07:26 AM Page 1 of 1 CHAMBER ACTION Senate House .
  • Representative Nixon offered the following: 1 2 Amendment 3 Remove line 50 and insert: 4 (4) This section does not bar claims against a firearm 5 manufacturer based on inadequate instructions or misleading 6 marketing.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-13 Senate

    • Died in Rules

  2. 2026-03-05 House

    • Read 2nd time • Amendment 043387 Failed • Amendment 596601 Failed • Amendment 787357 Failed • Added to Third Reading Calendar • Read 3rd time • CS passed; YEAS 75, NAYS 29

  3. 2026-03-05 Senate

    • In Messages • Referred to Rules • Received

  4. 2026-03-02 House

    • Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/5/2026)

  5. 2026-02-18 House

    • Bill referred to House Calendar • Added to Second Reading Calendar

  6. 2026-02-17 House

    • Favorable with CS by Judiciary Committee • Reported out of Judiciary Committee • Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a) • CS Filed • 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)

  7. 2026-02-13 House

    • Added to Judiciary Committee agenda

  8. 2026-02-03 House

    • Favorable by Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee • Reported out of Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee • Now in Judiciary Committee

  9. 2026-01-30 House

    • Added to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee agenda

  10. 2026-01-15 House

    • Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee • Referred to Judiciary Committee • Now in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

  11. 2026-01-13 House

    • 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)

  12. 2026-01-09 House

    • Filed

Official Summary Text

Products Liability for Firearms; Provides that firearm manufacturer is not liable for certain torts based on absence or presence of certain features, mechanisms, or standards not required under federal law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
CS/HB 1551 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1551-01-c1
Page 1 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to products liability for firearms; 2
creating s. 768.1258, F.S.; providing definitions; 3
providing that a firearm manufacturer is not liable 4
for certain torts based on the absence or presence of 5
certain features, mechanisms, or standards not 6
required under federal law; providing construction and 7
application; providing a directive to the Division of 8
Law Revision; providing an effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Section 768.1258, Florida Statutes, is created 13
to read: 14
768.1258 Limitation of actions against firearm 15
manufacturers.— 16
(1) As used in this section, the term: 17
(a) "Authorized user recognition technology" means a 18
mechanism, device, or technology applied to a firearm which 19
prevents a user not authorized by the firearm owner from firing 20
the firearm. 21
(b) "External manual safety" means a manually operated 22
mechanism that, when engaged, blocks the firearm trigger from 23
functioning. 24
(c) "Firearm" has the same meaning as in s. 790.001. 25

CS/HB 1551 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1551-01-c1
Page 2 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(d) "Loaded chamber indicator" means a mechanism or 26
feature intended to indicate to the user that a cartridge is in 27
the firing chamber of a firearm. 28
(e) "Magazine disconnect mechanism" means a mechanism that 29
prevents a semiautomatic firearm from firing when the detachable 30
magazine is not fully inserted in the firearm. 31
(2) In a products liability action involving a firearm, a 32
firearm manufacturer is not liable under a theory of defective 33
product design, failure to warn, negligence, strict liability, 34
or other claims based on the absence or presence of any design 35
feature, functionality, safety mechanism, or performance 36
standard that is not required by federal law as a condition for 37
the lawful manufacture, sale, import, or receipt of the firearm, 38
including, but not limited to: 39
(a) A magazine disconnect mechanism; 40
(b) A loaded chamber indicator; 41
(c) Authorized user recognition technology; or 42
(d) An external manual safety, including, but not limited 43
to, a hinged, pivoting, or tabbed trigger safety. 44
(3) This section does not limit liability for a firearm 45
manufacturer in cases in which the claimant establishes that the 46
firearm contained an actual manufacturing or design defect or 47
failed to operate in a manner consistent with the manufacturer's 48
express warranties or representations. 49
(4) This section shall apply to causes of action filed 50

CS/HB 1551 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1551-01-c1
Page 3 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

after the effective date of this act. 51
Section 2. The Division of Law Revision is directed to 52
replace the phrase "the effective date of this act" wherever it 53
occurs in this act with the date this act becomes a law. 54
Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 55