Sacramento City Council considers four new laws to reduce gun violence
SACRAMENTO — Sacramento is seeing a 30% increase in homicides this year, and on average, there's been more than one shooting a day.
On Tuesday, city leaders took the first steps in passing controversial new gun laws to help prevent violence.
The city council is considering four new laws to reduce gun violence. The laws would prohibit selling firearms from homes and ban minors from entering gun stores.
It would also require most gun owners to purchase liability insurance.
"It is a norm for us to have car insurance," City Councilmember Lisa Kaplan said. "Our cars are deadly vehicles. Guns are deadly devices."
Gun owners would have to pay an annual $25-per-gun fee with the money going toward programs that help reduce violence and teach firearm safety.
Craig Deluz, a Second Amendment advocate, said the proposals are unconstitutional.
"You would have to have Sacramento Police Department going door to door asking, 'How many guns do you own, what guns do you own,' and creating a citywide registry," he said.
The City of San Jose was sued after passing similar laws in 2022, but a federal judge dismissed the challenge.
Supporters say the new rules will help protect the public from any more tragedies.
"It is imperative that we act," Schenk said. "If we don't we continue to lose lives."
Sacramento city councilmembers are hoping to vote on the proposed new rules before the end of the year. If approved, they could begin taking effect in January.