Assistant Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Felix Ortiz, is calling for legislation to require owners of firearms to obtain at least $250,000 liability insurance.
Ortiz said there is a need for fresh strategies to address “lax” gun laws, following the recent tragedy in Tennessee where an 11 year-old boy allegedly shot and killed an eight year-old girl with his father’s 12-gauge shotgun.
The gun used by the boy had reportedly been left in an unlocked closet.
Ortiz said that in the absence of any response from Washington, it is up to individual states to enact sensible gun reform laws, claiming that a shift toward reform from the victim’s perspective through liability insurance requirements is gaining a foothold.
“Enough is enough. How can we protect our children from gun atrocities without a common sense approach to provide victim compensation? We need a better way to hold reckless gun owners accountable. Laws cannot bring back loved ones, but requiring owners of firearms to have liability insurance brings us one step closer to acknowledging the risks and dangers of gun ownership,” Ortiz said.
