Photo: Scott Olson / Getty Images
For: Real America News Updated 26 Jan 2022, 16: 60 pm EST
The Californian city of San José seeks to make history and become the first in the United States to require the most gun owners who have liability insurance and pay a fee to own them.
This was announced by the San José Municipal Council, after the vote to approve both measures that aim to reduce the risk of damage from weapons and relieve taxpayers of the financial cost of violence armed, explained in a statement the mayor of San José, Sam Liccardo.
The purpose of the measure is to encourage gun owners in the city to take security measures, which includes having places of safety for store weapons and ammunition, as well as install trigger locks, among others.
Insurance liability will cover loss or damage resulting from any negligent or accidental use of the firearm, including death, injury or property damage, in accordance with the ordinance.
If a firearm is lost or stolen, the owner of the firearm would be held responsible until the authorities of theft or loss.
The requirement will not apply to current and retired law enforcement officers or those licensed to carry concealed weapons.
Meanwhile, the rate of $25 dollars will be raised by a yet to be named non-profit organization to be used for gun safety education and training, suicide prevention, domestic violence, and mental health services.
Those who do not insure their weapons will face unspecified fines.
Despite the announcement, it is still unknown exactly when these measures will come into effect.
For its part, the Firearms Policy Coalition said it will fight the new law, calling it “burdensome, unconstitutional and prohibited by California law” for law-abiding citizens who own firearms.
“Since die-hard members of the San Jose City Council do not believe that the United States Constitution applies to them or their citizens, the Gun Policy Coalition and our members are now committed to fighting against the City’s outrageous and offensive policies in federal litigation and take all possible steps to block their enforcement,” the group said.
In Therefore, Sam Paredes, Executive Director of Gun Owne rs of California, said his group would sue if the proposal goes into effect, calling it “ totally unconstitutional in any configuration”.
“We have freedom of religion, religion cannot be taxed. We have freedom of association, we can meet and we cannot pay taxes,” he said. “The same goes for the Second Amendment. Preconditions cannot be placed on it”, he underlined.
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