Under the proposal from Republican Rep. Kim Banta of Fort Mitchell, people harmed by a minor’s use of a firearm would have the right to sue the parents or guardians of the offender for monetary damages.
Banta said she believes that this accountability could encourage parents to store guns and ammunition separately, while also addressing community fears about increasing gun violence.
“People are scared; they’re tired of teenage violence. I think it’s become more of a parental responsibility issue than anything else,” Banta said.
According to the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank, the number of juvenile offenses involving firearms increased by 24% from 2019 to 2022 across the country.
Banta said under her bill, foster parents would be exempt from liability.
The northern Kentucky representative said she hopes the legislation would spur conversations among her colleagues about addressing some of the causes of youth gun violence.
“I’m looking for a good dialogue,” she said. “This isn’t about taking anyone’s guns away. It’s about acknowledging that if you have a child under 18, it’s worth considering where your gun is and what [your child is] doing.”
Banta said she is modeling her legislation after Kentucky driving and property damage laws that hold parents liable for any damage that their child may intentionally cause to someone's personal property or in car collisions where the minor is found to be at fault.
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