23 January 2013: employees demonstrate gun safety for customers at the Los Angeles gun club in Los Angeles. Reuters
Democratic lawmakers proposed Tuesday that would require opinie gun owners in California to buy liability insurance to cover damage or injury caused by their weapons.
Similar bills have been introduced in other States after the massacre of Newtown, Conn., school. They include Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New York.
"What has moved, like many others, being the father of two young children, from Sandy Hook event and looking for a constructive way to manage violence here in California gun as well as the rest of the country," said Assemblyman Philip Ting in San Francisco, who introduced AB231 with Jimmy Gomez Assemblyman from Los Angeles. "There is basically a cost that was born by the taxpayers when accidents occur. ... I don't think taxpayers should be footing those bills. "
Ting has identified the idea of requiring vehicle owners to buy auto insurance. Gomez said he would encourage gun owners to take safety classes of firearms and keeping their guns locked up to get lower insurance Council.
No State has enacted the requirement despite repeated previous attempts, said Jon Griffin, a political analyst with the National Conference of State legislatures.
The Bills were offered without success because at least in Massachusetts and New York in 2003, when the Conference began keeping track, he said. Similar bills have been proposed in Illinois in 2009 and in Pennsylvania. Lawmakers are introducing bills this year in the States even more so after the recent shootings.
Some proposals would require buyers to show proof of insurance before they could acquire a weapon. The California proposal applies to anyone owning a weapon, Ting said, although the details of the Bill are still being processed.
Sam Paredes, Executive Director of gun owners of California, said most gun owners already act responsibly and be South for damages if they don't.
He said the proposal is part of the ongoing attempt of "gun owners price out of existence," had the right – the crime-ridden areas in a poor living and need more. Would'nt criminals ignore the law, he said.
He also questioned whether it is constitutional to require someone to buy insurance for exercising a constitutional right.
"If you don't deal with in Committee, I guarantee you'll have to face it in court," said Paredes.
Ting said he and Gomez's plan to work with gun owners and opponents to craft a constitutional Bill. It does not require insurance companies to offer insurance to gun, but will change them to enter the market.
He noted that the National Rifle Association itself already offers its members the ability to purchase insurance, despite his opposition to requiring gun owners to buy such policies.
Ting therefore introduced the AB232, which would give an income tax credit of up to $ 1,000 to anyone who turns in a firearm at a gun buyback program. The amount of the credit would be determined based on the value of the weapon.
