Persons wanting a level of responsibility for public carrying of firearms should take the proposed federal Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (S-446) seriously. It is the NRA’s biggest want out of this Congress, was introduced by John Cornyn–a very powerful Senator and has support by at least 37 Senate co-sponsors. There is similar support in the House. It could become law very quickly. Its provisions would have the practical effect of making uncontrolled carry of weapons nationwide policy. They would also be an impediment to stopping illegal street sales and possession by prohibited persons. Adoption of an insurance requirement to protect victims is one of the most effective way to reduce the dangers that this would bring.
Mandatory gun insurance to gain adoption and to withstand the inevitable court challenges should be designed to provide real protection for victims and promote safe practices. It should be structured differently than either insurance as a backdoor gun prohibition or “shooter protection insurance” as currently sold by the NRA and others. The overall purpose of this blog is to examine how this is best done.
The sections below show the terms that should be included in an effective insurance mandate for this purpose. They can serve as an outline in drafting legislation when applied in light of other firearms laws in the relevant state.