Following the brutal murder of 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz outside a bodega in Belmont, two Bronx lawmakers look to make sure small businesses step it up to protect young children in the community.

State Senator Luis Sepulveda and Assemblyman Victor Pichardo announced the “Safe Havens for Endangered Children” law, nicknamed “Junior’s Law,” alongside community advocates, religious leaders, and some of Junior’s family members outside of the bodega where Junior sought refuge.

The proposed law would require small businesses to provide refuge and call police if a minor in danger were to seek their help.

Another measure of the bill will call for inspections of small businesses to make sure that first aid kits are stored on site as required by the federal government through the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).

“These measures will help our communities become safer,” said Sepulveda, standing in front of a mural of Junior completed just days after he was stabbed to death. “While we know that a lot more needs to be done to prevent gang violence and bullying in our communities, a combination of these efforts is a step in accomplishing this goal and possibly saving the life of a young resident or child in our community.”

Details of the law are still being worked on, including how these safe havens will operate and the penalties for business owners who fail to follow the law’s regulations.”

The lawmakers stressed that protecting children in danger must be a community effort. “The people in our community need to be part of the solution,” Pichardo told the Norwood News. “We have to legislate this because we have to create an affirmative responsibility for individuals that if they see something, say something. The city has been harping on this since 9/11, that if you see something, you call the cops to prevent a tragedy. This is simply in that same vein”

Some Norwood businesses express support for the law. Nick Dasou, a worker at One Legend Deli on East Gun Hill Road, said “it’s what you’re supposed to do.”

“I have stopped a lot of fights,” said Dasou, who has worked at over 10 deli stores for the past 28 years. “You can tell them to take it outside. You can call the cops. There’s a lot you can do to protect the kids.”

Junior’s father said he is happy that such a law is being proposed to prevent something like what happened to his son from happening to another child.

The New York City Police Foundation has set up a scholarship in honor of Junior, who was an NYPD Explorer and wanted to become a police detective. The scholarship, given annually, will award up to $5,000 each to two NYPD Explorer high school graduates who are expected to attend an accredited college or university.