The Innocent Sellers Fairness Act

Twelve U.S. House members are sponsoring the Innocent Sellers Fairness Act (H.R. 1199), designed to remove liability for product injuries from sellers and keep it on manufacturers.

The bill would make it so that no seller of any product would be liable for damages, except in the following cases:

• The seller was the manufacturer of the product;
• The seller participated in the design of the product;
• The seller participated in the installation of the product;
• The seller altered, modified or expressly warranted the product in a manner not authorized by the manufacturer;
• The seller had actual knowledge of the defect in the product as a result of a recall from the manufacturer or governmental entity authorized to make such recall or actual inspection at the time the seller sold the product to the claimant;
• The seller had actual knowledge of the defect in the product at the time the seller supplied the product;
• The seller intentionally altered or modified a product warranty, warning or instruction from the manufacturer in a way not authorized by the manufacturer; and
• The seller knowingly made a false representation about an aspect of the product not authorized by the manufacturer.

A version of the bill has been in the House since 2007, but the number of sponsors has risen recently.  U.S.Glass News Network has details.