SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Mayor Van Johnson is calling it a way to curtail gun violence – but some gun owners aren’t happy.

The proposed ordinance penalizes people who don’t properly store their weapons.

“I think you’re just making criminals out of law-abiding citizens,” legal gun owner Brittany Brown said.

A new ordinance aimed to curtail gun violence is being proposed by Savannah Mayor Van Johnson.

“If it’s your gun and you didn’t secure it or you didn’t report it, then we’re gonna hold you responsible for it because a gun is a responsibility,” Johnson said.

It penalizes gun owners who keep their cars unlocked with their firearms inside. It also calls for them to report their gun missing or stolen within 24 hours.

However, the ordinance has not been well-received by all.

“I think criminals are gonna get guns no matter how they get them. They’re gonna break into a locked car and get them,” Brown said.

Some gun owners are questioning the burden of proof and searching for clarity about what the ordinance actually means.

“How are you gonna prove that their car was unlocked or not, that for me, and also the ordinance that I’ve currently read says the firearm should be secured in your car properly, what does that mean, what is the requirement for that and who determines that?” she questioned.

They say it’s a violation of their rights and could lead the city to impose more laws on private property.

“That’s our personal property. So what’s next, if my purse is not locked, I don’t know anyone who locks their purse, if my purse is not locked and someone takes the purse off of me and I report it stolen, is that the next step? What’s the next step? That’s personal property, that’s your car,” legal gun owner Christi Maude said.

But Mayor Johnson says it’s all for public safety, and the ordinance is an effective way to prevent gun-related crimes.

“How do we make it less advantageous for people to be able to get those guns and we have a role to play in that? Sometimes you have to do that with a carrot or a stick, it’s time for the stick,” he said.