Surprise: California Mayor Announces Gun Control That Only Punishes Law Abiding Citizens

Question: why do these gun grabbers never announce anything that will cause problems for the criminals who use guns illegally? It always seems to make it more difficult for the law abiding

California mayor announces ‘first-of-its-kind’ proposal to combat gun violence

Two weeks after the deadly Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo has proposed a comprehensive plan to combat gun violence and reduce its cost on the public.

Liccardo’s proposed city ordinance, announced Monday, would require all firearm owners in San Jose to carry liability insurance for their weapons. If approved, city officials say it would be the first such requirement in the nation. Gun owners who are unable to purchase liability insurance could pay an annual fee to the city to compensate taxpayers for the public costs of firearm violence in the city.

“A mayor doesn’t have the luxury of just offering thoughts and prayers…we have to solve problems,” said Liccardo in a statement provided to ABC7 News. “While this is far from a complete solution, it is something we can do to reduce the harms of firearms, without waiting for Congress to take action.”

In addition to an insurance-or-fee mandate, Liccardo proposed imposing gun and ammunition sales taxes to help fund gun safety classes, gun violence prevention programs, and additional victim assistance services for survivors of gun violence. The city could also look into creating a program to offer cash rewards to anyone who reports someone who possesses unlawfully-obtained guns or weapons.

Liccardo says he based his design of penalties for noncompliance on California Vehicle Code Section 16209, which provides fines and other penalties for the misdemeanor of operating a vehicle without insurance.

Again, motor vehicles are not a right enshrined in the Constitution. The devil is in the details though

Law experts say the proposal is all but certain to face a legal challenge but is it constitutional?

“I think the answer to that will depend on whether it in fact keeps guns out of people’s hands or whether it’s a reasonable tax,” said Prof. Deep Gulasekaram with the Santa Clara University School of Law. “Lots of state and local regulations of firearms have been upheld because they are reasonable.”

How much will the liability insurance cost? That’s one of the big questions. Will it be so exorbitant that it restricts the ability of citizens to engage in their 2nd Amendment right? How about the taxes on guns and ammo? Of course, none of this affects the criminals. None of this would have stopped the Garlic festival shooter.