Bill would require gun owners to have liability insurance or pay $10,000 fine

There's been a surge of gun-control legislation in Congress in recent weeks. The latest efforts would require gun owners to have liability insurance coverage before being allowed to purchase a weapon or face a fine of up to $10,000.

The Firearm Risk Protection Act, introduced Friday by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, N.Y.,provides an exemption for service members and law enforcement officers.

"We require insurance to own a car, but no such requirement exists for guns," Maloney said. "The results are clear: car fatalities have declined by 25 percent in the last decade, but gun fatalities continue to rise.

"An insurance requirement would allow the free market to encourage cautious behavior and help save lives," she added. "Adequate liability coverage would also ensure that the victims of gun violence are fairly compensated when crimes or accidents occur."

Earlier this month, Maloney introduced legislation that would require personal sellers to obtain background checks before transactions could be made at gun shows. Another effort, this one from Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-NJ, would require federally licensed ammunition dealers to confirm the identity of those wanting to purchase ammunition online by verifying photo identification in person.

Source:http://www.al.com