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S.B. 107

             1     

PUBLIC SHOOTING RANGES

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Allen M. Christensen

             5     
House Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill ensures public access to a public shooting range, subject to temporary
             10      restrictions.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    defines terms;
             14          .    grants the public access to use a public shooting range;
             15          .    permits a fee to be charged for the public to use a public shooting range;
             16          .    describes when a public shooting range can be temporarily restricted from public
             17      use during regular business hours; and
             18          .    makes technical changes.
             19      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             20          None
             21      Other Special Clauses:
             22          None
             23      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             24      ENACTS:
             25          47-3-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             26          47-3-301, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             27      RENUMBERS AND AMENDS:


             28          47-3-102, (Renumbered from 47-3-1, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1998, Chapter 286)
             29          47-3-201, (Renumbered from 47-3-2, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1998, Chapter 286)
             30          47-3-202, (Renumbered from 47-3-3, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1998, Chapter 286)
             31     
             32      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             33          Section 1. Section 47-3-101 is enacted to read:
             34     
CHAPTER 3. SHOOTING RANGES

             35     
Part 1. General Provisions

             36          47-3-101. Title.
             37          This chapter is known as "Shooting Ranges."
             38          Section 2. Section 47-3-102 , which is renumbered from Section 47-3-1 is renumbered
             39      and amended to read:
             40           [47-3-1].     47-3-102. Definitions.
             41          As used in this chapter[,]:
             42          (1) "Public shooting range" means a shooting range owned by an agency of the state or
             43      a political subdivision of the state.
             44          (2) "Regular business hours" means Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
             45          (3) "Shooting range" or "range" means an area designed and continuously operated
             46      under nationally recognized standards and operating practices for the use of rifles, shotguns,
             47      pistols, silhouettes, skeet, trap, black powder, archery, or any other similar shooting activities.
             48          Section 3. Section 47-3-201 , which is renumbered from Section 47-3-2 is renumbered
             49      and amended to read:
             50     
Part 2. Risk and Nuisance

             51           [47-3-2].     47-3-201. Assumption of risk.
             52          [Each] A person who participates in shooting at a shooting range or a public shooting
             53      range accepts the associated risks to the extent the risks are obvious and inherent. Those risks
             54      include injuries that may result from noise, discharge of projectile or shot, malfunction of
             55      shooting equipment not owned by the shooting range or public shooting range, natural
             56      variations in terrain, surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions, bare spots, rocks, trees, and
             57      other forms of natural growth or debris.
             58          Section 4. Section 47-3-202 , which is renumbered from Section 47-3-3 is renumbered


             59      and amended to read:
             60           [47-3-3].     47-3-202. When nuisance action permitted.
             61          (1) [Each] A state agency or political subdivision shall ensure that any of its rules or
             62      ordinances that define or prohibit a public nuisance exclude from the definition or prohibition
             63      any shooting range or public shooting range that was established, constructed, or operated prior
             64      to the implementation of the rule or ordinance regarding public nuisance unless that activity or
             65      operation substantially and adversely affects public health or safety.
             66          (2) A person who operates or uses a shooting range or a public shooting range in this
             67      state is not subject to civil liability or criminal prosecution for noise or noise pollution resulting
             68      from the operation or use of the range if:
             69          (a) the range:
             70          (i) was established, constructed, or operated prior to the implementation of any noise
             71      ordinances, rules, or regulations; and
             72          (ii) does not substantially and adversely affect public health or safety; or
             73          (b) the range:
             74          (i) is in compliance with any noise control laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations that
             75      applied to the range or public shooting range and its operation at the time of establishment,
             76      construction, or initial operation of the range; and
             77          (ii) does not substantially and adversely affect public health or safety.
             78          (3) For [the] purposes of this section, noise generated by a shooting range or public
             79      shooting range that is operated in accordance with nationally recognized standards and
             80      operating practices is not a public health nuisance.
             81          (4) For any new subdivision development located in whole or in part within 1,000 feet
             82      of the boundary of any shooting range or public shooting range that was established,
             83      constructed, or operated prior to the development of the subdivision, the owner of the
             84      development shall provide on any plat filed with the county recorder the following notice:
             85          "Shooting Range Area
             86          This property is located in the vicinity of an established shooting range or public
             87      shooting range. It can be anticipated that customary uses and activities at this shooting range or
             88      public shooting range will be conducted now and in the future. The use and enjoyment of this
             89      property is expressly conditioned on acceptance of any annoyance or inconvenience [which]


             90      that may result from these uses and activities."
             91          Section 5. Section 47-3-301 is enacted to read:
             92     
Part 3. Public Shooting Ranges

             93          47-3-301. Access and use.
             94          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a public shooting range may be used by the
             95      public during regular business hours.
             96          (2) The owner of a public shooting range may temporarily restrict the public from the
             97      public shooting range:
             98          (a) during any period of time that the public shooting range is being actively used for
             99      training, practice, or testing by the state, a political subdivision of the state, or any other
             100      government entity, if public use of the shooting range during that period of time would
             101      interfere with the training, practice, or testing;
             102          (b) when the shooting range is undergoing renovation, maintenance, or repair; or
             103          (c) when necessary to protect public safety.
             104          (3) A public shooting range may charge a reasonable fee, in accordance with Section
             105      63J-1-504 , for the public to use the public shooting range.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-3-13 3:00 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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