Washington, D.C. already has some of the strictest gun-control laws in the country, but the city council is considering a bill that would require prospective gun owners to purchase a $250,000 liability insurance policy.
The proposed bill, B20-170, would mandate insurance coverage for
negligent and intentional acts in which a gun is used in cases
other than self-defense. Even those who already own gun licenses
would be required to purchase the liability insurance within 30
days of the effective date of the bill.
The bill states that its purpose is to compensate victims of gun
violence through the money raised from the licensing mandate, but
critics have scrutinized the measure for possibly inflicting heavy
costs upon gun owners.
It is not yet clear how much a $250,000 liability insurance
policy would cost, but if it is significant, it could serve as a
barrier against purchasing firearms. Democratic Councilmember Mary
Cheh, who introduced the bill, told WTTF-TV that she is willing to
negotiate with critics about the cost.
“I don’t mean it to be a centrifuge as a ban,” she said.
“I want it to really be insurance.”
She also added that guns “are instrumentalities that, if
mishandled or allow others access or mishandling, can cause great
harm,” thereby emphasizing the need for insurance to compensate
victims.
But there is also a gap in the proposed bill: if crimes are
committed using an illegal weapon, victims would not receive any
sort of compensation, since those who buy guns illegally would not
have mandated insurance.
The council committee heard testimonies on the need for such
insurance on Thursday, but D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray’s
administration does not currently support the bill. In a written
testimony to the DC Council, the deputy insurance commissioner
wrote that the mayor “is not convinced that there is currently a
persuasive argument to support the need for insurance for firearms
in the home.”
Three gun owners and two insurance-industry representatives
testified against the bill during the10 a.m.hearing,
while the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence testified in favor
of the proposal, the Associated Press reports.
A number of other states are considering similar measures to the
bill proposed by Cheh, but no such law has yet been passed in the
US.
Meanwhile, the state of Maryland has this week entered the ranks
of states with the most restrictive gun laws. Gov. Martin O’Malley
on Thursday signed a bill that will ban 45 assault rifles and
restrict ammunition magazines to 10 rounds. The legislation also
requires Americans who buy handguns to be fingerprinted.
This article originally appeared on : RT