ATLANTA — Following the shooting at Apalachee High School that killed four people and injured several others, a Georgia State Representative has announced proposed legislation to increase gun safety.
State Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur ) announced on Wednesday the proposed legislation in preparation for the 2025 legislative session that would require owners of assault-type weapons in the state to obtain and maintain liability insurance for their firearms. According to a release, it would also seek to address the risks associated with the ownership of assault weapons by requiring gun owners to be financially responsible for any damage or injury caused by their firearms.
The proposed legislation writes that these types of weapons have been used in numerous mass shootings across the country and have resulted in the death of large numbers of people. It also cites the September school shooting in Barrow County as an example.
"Such weapon was allegedly used in the shooting that killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on Sept. 4, 2024," the document states. "Mandating owners of such weapons to procure and maintain liability insurance will encourage such owners to be more mindful of the risks inherent in owning such weapons and to take actions to ensure such weapons are secured."
For the proposed legislation, the term "assault weapon" means a semiautomatic rifle that has the ability to accept a detachable high-capacity magazine, which is a device that holds more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
If enacted, it would require that all owners of assault-type weapons carry a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance to cover any damages resulting from the misuse of their firearm. This is designed to help compensate victims in the event of injury, death or property damage caused by an assault weapon, a release said.
This is not the first time government officials have discussed gun safety in the wake of the shooting at Apalachee High. For example, back in September, Georgia's Republican House Speaker Jon Burns laid out a legislative agenda that included an endorsement of incentives for safe storage and gun safety training. Burns said they will reintroduce legislation that "incentivizes safe storage and encourages law-abiding citizens to properly secure their firearms and obtain gun safety training."
The proposed legislation will be formally introduced during the 2025 legislative session, which begins on Monday, Jan. 13.
You can read the full proposed legislation below.