Gun ownership requirements equal to car ownership

Make owning a gun just as easy as it is to own and operate an automobile.

Licensing Reqs.:
• Attend a firearm safety and handling course.
• Score an 80% on a written exam and 100% on operational exam.
• Pass a federal and state background check
• Complete a mental health examination (this is a tricky part that will probably be extremely hard to implement and validate and therefore subject to removal)

Purchasing Reqs.:
• Current operational license
• Proof of liability insurance worth $25,000 per victim, to be maintained for the entirety of gun ownership
• Proof of ownership of secure storage facility
• Pass federal and state background checks
• 1 week wait period
• Mental health check within past 3 yrs. (this is a tricky part that will probably be extremely hard to implement and validate and therefore subject to removal)

Operational Reqs.:
• Yearly registration, with proof of insurance, of each firearm owned with local authorities.
• 5 year license renewal with exception of having to take Safety and Handling course.

Fines for violations similar to Driving/DWI laws:
1st offense =3 month suspension of license + $500-1000 fine
2nd offense = 1 year suspension of license +$1500-5000 fine and/or 30 days jail
3rd offense = permanent forfeiture of license and all firearms + $10,000 – 20,000 fine and 6 months - 1 year jail time
4th offense = $50,000 – 100,000 fine and/or 5-10 years jail time

Offenses can range from failure to posses current and up to date license, insurance, and/or registration to improper storage of firearms and ammunition.

Registration and licensing fees should be used to provide financial support to local law enforcement and their retirement fund as they are most likely to be wounded in the line of duty from gunfire. A portion of the funds should also be used to set up and maintain a victims relief fund, which can be capped at a certain level if not used. In other words the relief fund would be developed and built up to a specific amount, ie $2 million. Once that amount is reached the funds can be directed towards local law enforcement and/or a local mental health care center. All of this would obviously have to be debated amongst local officials, but the funds should be used towards the prevention and relief of gun violence.