San Jose is on the verge of becoming the first city in the nation to require gun owners to carry liability insurance and pay a fee aimed at reducing gun violence.
More than two years after Mayor Sam Liccardo introduced his proposal for these novel gun control measures, the San Jose City Council on Tuesday night will take a final vote on the controversial regulations.
“Anyone hoping that Congress will act to better protect Americans from the scourge of gun violence will be waiting a very long time,” Liccardo said in an interview. “It’s incumbent on local communities to deploy new approaches to tackle this problem because it’s not getting solved by the current approach.”
If approved, the measures – which include substantial revisions from the mayor’s initial proposals – are set to take effect at the end of August. However, that could be delayed by legal challenges, which Second Amendment advocacy organizations have been threatening from the start.
The funds generated from fees paid by gun owners will be funneled into “evidence-based initiatives to reduce gun violence and gun harm,” Liccardo said. The fee is expected to be around $25, according to NBC News San Diego.
Meanwhile, having liability insurance is meant to encourage gun owners in San Jose to take safety measures, including having gun safes, installing trigger locks and taking gun safety classes.
Gun owners who do not acquire insurance, however, will not lose their guns or face criminal charges under the new rules