By Rachel Davis
San Jose - Today, the City of San José released new information (click here) on the City’s first-in-the-nation gun harm reduction ordinances requiring gun owners to have insurance coverage for their firearms, and use fees paid by gun owners to invest in evidence-based initiatives to reduce gun harm. San José has been leading efforts to deploy several other interventions to reduce gun violence as well, such as bolstering gun violence restraining orders, banning untraceable “ghost guns” and preventing illegal straw purchasing.
“Every auto driver in this nation understands the importance of insurance to compensate accident victims. Insurance also incentivizes safety, through premium discounts for airbags, anti lock brakes, and safe driving records,” said San José Mayor Sam Liccardo. “So too, gun insurance can compensate victims who need care, and encourage gun owners to use gun safes, deploy trigger locks, and take gun safety classes. That’s not insignificant in a country where 4.6 million children live in a home where a gun is kept loaded and unlocked.”
The City is now releasing key details on how to ensure residents are compliant with the Gun Harm Reduction Ordinance, which passed earlier this year and continues to prevail in court. Firearm owners and those in possession of firearms, must have a current homeowners, renters or gun liability insurance policy for their firearm(s) in effect by January 1, 2023 and ensure that the policy covers losses or damages resulting from accidental use of the firearm, including but not limited to death, injury, or property damage. Firearm owners will be able to provide proof of coverage by ensuring a City of San José insurance attestation form is kept wherever guns are stored or transported.
San José is not immune to the national gun violence epidemic. More than 200 people are killed or injured annually by gunfire in San José. Almost 30% of those injured die and the lifetime costs of fatal and non-fatal firearm shootings of San José residents averaged $995 million in 2019-20. In a country where shootings have become the second-leading cause of death among U.S. children and adolescents, addressing unintentional firearm risk through local action is paramount....
“Every auto driver in this nation understands the importance of insurance to compensate accident victims. Insurance also incentivizes safety, through premium discounts for airbags, anti lock brakes, and safe driving records,” said San José Mayor Sam Liccardo. “So too, gun insurance can compensate victims who need care, and encourage gun owners to use gun safes, deploy trigger locks, and take gun safety classes. That’s not insignificant in a country where 4.6 million children live in a home where a gun is kept loaded and unlocked.”
The City is now releasing key details on how to ensure residents are compliant with the Gun Harm Reduction Ordinance, which passed earlier this year and continues to prevail in court. Firearm owners and those in possession of firearms, must have a current homeowners, renters or gun liability insurance policy for their firearm(s) in effect by January 1, 2023 and ensure that the policy covers losses or damages resulting from accidental use of the firearm, including but not limited to death, injury, or property damage. Firearm owners will be able to provide proof of coverage by ensuring a City of San José insurance attestation form is kept wherever guns are stored or transported.
San José is not immune to the national gun violence epidemic. More than 200 people are killed or injured annually by gunfire in San José. Almost 30% of those injured die and the lifetime costs of fatal and non-fatal firearm shootings of San José residents averaged $995 million in 2019-20. In a country where shootings have become the second-leading cause of death among U.S. children and adolescents, addressing unintentional firearm risk through local action is paramount....
