[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 339 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 339

To prevent frivolous lawsuits against the manufacturers, distributors, 
or sellers of food or non-alcoholic beverage products that comply with 
           applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 2003

Mr. Keller (for himself, Mr. Ney, Mr. Graves, Mr. Tiberi, Mrs. Biggert, 
 Mr. Crenshaw, and Mr. Peterson of Minnesota) introduced the following 
       bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To prevent frivolous lawsuits against the manufacturers, distributors, 
or sellers of food or non-alcoholic beverage products that comply with 
           applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Personal Responsibility in Food 
Consumption Act''.

SEC. 2. LITIGATION MANAGEMENT FOR MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND 
              SELLERS OF FOOD AND NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE PRODUCTS THAT 
              COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE STATUTORY AND REGULATORY 
              REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Prevention of Frivolous Lawsuits.--The manufacturer, 
distributor, or seller of a food or non-alcoholic beverage product 
intended for human consumption shall not be subject to civil liability, 
in Federal or State court, whether stated in terms of negligence, 
strict liability, absolute liability, breach of warranty, or State 
statutory cause of action, relating to consumption of food or non-
alcoholic beverage products unless the plaintiff proves that, at the 
time of sale, the product was not in compliance with applicable 
statutory and regulatory requirements.
    (b) Effective Date.--This Act shall take effect on the date of the 
enactment of this Act and shall apply to any civil action described in 
subsection (a), unless a trial or retrial with regard to that civil 
action has commenced as of that date.
                                 <all>