Sig Sauer’s P320 Immunity Bill Falters in Florida - The Smoking Gun

Last summer, Sig Sauer successfully lobbied New Hampshire lawmakers to pass a law designed to shield gun makers from product liability lawsuits accusing them of selling defective products, negligence, or “any other claim based on the absence” of certain safety features that help prevent unintentional discharges. Sig Sauer pushed for the law as it faces dozens of lawsuits related to the P320 pistol, which plaintiffs allege can fire without an intentional trigger pull, and the company has already cited the law in court to dismiss such claims.

In recent months, Sig Sauer also backed similar legislation in Florida that would insulate gun makers from product liability lawsuits — like the kind brought by a deputy sheriff in Indian River County, Florida, who says his holstered P320 fired without an intentional trigger pull. The Florida House of Representatives passed its version of the legislation, but the Senate version stalled before Florida’s 2026 legislative session ended.

Just before Florida’s legislative session began, Sig Sauer donated over $550,000 to PACs maintained by Republican state lawmakers and leaders, and hired one of Florida’s largest lobbying firms to promote its goals.

The P320’s Troubled History

According to The Trace, “more than 150 people have alleged in lawsuits and police records that their P320s fired when they didn’t pull the trigger” since 2016, leading to numerous injuries and the death of a Pennsylvania father. As the lawsuits have mounted, several law enforcement agencies — including police departments in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, and Hawaii as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — have pulled the pistol from duty. Despite this, Sig Sauer has maintained that the pistol is safe and instead blamed “negligent handling” and “manufactured lies” as part of “an anti-gun, anti-SIG agenda.”

However, court filings and unredacted exhibits show that Sig Sauer internally identified serious safety risks associated with the P320 years before it became the subject of widespread litigation and public scrutiny as part of its contract with the U.S. Army. The company’s own February 2017 analysis identified 13 separate unintentional discharge hazards, with 17 hazards overall that could result in serious injury or death. The analysis also shows that a number of these risks were left unresolved.

The Florida Immunity Bills

If enacted, Florida Senate Bill 1748 would have shielded gun manufacturers from product liability claims based on the absence of certain safety features that can help prevent unintentional shootings, including magazine disconnects that stop guns from firing if their magazines have been removed, loaded-chamber indicators that notify gun owners if a round is chambered, smart technology that ensures a gun can only be operated by authorized users, and external safety mechanisms like the trigger safeties found on many striker-fired pistols today.

Similarly, Florida’s House Bill 1551 was written to prevent lawsuits arising from the “absence or presence of any design feature, functionality, safety mechanism, or performance standard that is not required by federal law,” including the same safety mechanisms identified above. Notably, federal law has not established any design safety standards for firearms, and no federal agency currently has the authority to establish or enforce such requirements.

This liability carveout closely follows the core allegations raised against Sig Sauer in ongoing litigation over the P320 pistol.

following the money

Journalist Jason Garcia first reported on Sig Sauer’s donations to political action committees (PACs) controlled by or associated with Florida lawmakers in recent months, including $50,000 each to those of Representative Wyman Duggan, the sponsor of House Bill 1551, and Senator Jay Trumbull, who sponsored Senate Bill 1748. As Garcia noted, Sig Sauer also gave $50,000 to PACs associated with the Florida Legislature’s two presiding officers, House Speaker Danny Perez and Senate President Ben Abritton.

As shown in the chart below, Sig Sauer donated over $550,000 to 38 PACs associated with Florida lawmakers, the state’s attorney general, and its agriculture commissioner. Most of the donations were made just before Florida’s legislative session began on January 16.

Sig Sauer’s efforts in New Hampshire and Florida demonstrate how far the company will go to quash lawsuits related to the P320. Time will tell if the company tries again in Florida or other states. For their part, New Hampshire lawmakers recently defeated an effort to repeal the immunity law enacted last year.

sig sauer donations

DateIndividualPolitical CommitteeAmount

12/23/25Rep. Wyman DugganCitizens for Building Florida’s Future$50,000

1/12/26Sen. Ben AlbrittonFriends of Ben Albritton$50,000

1/12/26Rep. Danny PerezConservatives for a Better Florida$50,000

1/12/26Sen. Jay TrumbullPanhandle Prosperity$50,000

1/12/26Agriculture Commissioner Wilton SimpsonFriends of Wilton Simpson$50,000

1/29/26Attorney General James UthmeierFriends of James Uthmeier$50,000

1/12/26Rep. Jennifer CanadyFriends of Jennifer Canady$25,000

1/12/26Rep. Lawrence McClureConservative Florida$25,000

1/12/26Sen. Tom LeekLiving Life with Purpose$25,000

1/12/26Rep. Robert BrannanPalm and Pine$10,000