S 5974: Requires owners of firearms to obtain liability insurance in an amount not less than one million dollars.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5974 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE March 4, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to requiring owners of firearms to obtain liability insurance The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The insurance law is amended by adding a new section 2354 2 to read as follows: 3 § 2354. Firearm owners insurance policies. 1. Any person in this 4 state who shall own a firearm shall, prior to such ownership, obtain and 5 continuously maintain a policy of liability insurance in an amount not 6 less than one million dollars specifically covering any damages result- 7 ing from any negligent acts involving the use of such firearm while it 8 is owned by such person. Failure to maintain such insurance shall result 9 in the immediate revocation of such owner's registration, license and 10 any other privilege to own such firearm. 11 2. For purposes of this section, a person shall be deemed to be the 12 owner of a firearm if such firearm is lost or stolen until such loss or 13 theft is reported to the police department or sheriff which has juris- 14 diction in the county, town, city or village in which such owner 15 resides. 16 3. Any person who owns a firearm on the effective date of this section 17 shall obtain the insurance required by this section within thirty days 18 of such effective date. 19 4. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any peace offi- 20 cer, as defined in section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law, police 21 officer, as defined in subdivision thirty-four of section 1.20 of the 22 criminal procedure law, or any member of the military who is on "active 23 duty" or "in active military service of the United States" as defined in 24 section one of the military law, who is authorized to carry a firearm. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08250-01-5 
 S. 5974 2 1 5. The department is hereby authorized and directed to promulgate 2 rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this 3 section. 4 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 5 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 6 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 7 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 8 on or before such effective date.