ARIZONA STATE SENATE
department of agriculture;
sunset continuation
(NOW: firearms safety; ranges;
funding)
Provides for the distribution of revenues
derived from the sale or lease of real property owned by the Game and Fish
Commission for use as public shooting ranges to the firearms safety and ranges
fund.
In 1999, legislation was passed that created a shooting range relocation and assistance fund for the purpose of acquiring state trust lands for the voluntary location or relocation of government-owned shooting ranges and to assist in noise abatement, range realignment and acquisition of range buffer areas (Laws 1999, Chapter 322). The fund consists of an annual distribution of $50,000 from retail sales tax collections. To date, this distribution has never been appropriated to this fund
During the summer and fall of 1999, a working group of interested parties was convened to study and make recommendations to further address the problems associated with the location and operation of shooting ranges. Legislation was passed in 2000 to implement some of the working group’s recommendations (Laws 2000, Chapter 167). In particular, the bill renamed the shooting range relocation and assistance fund the fire arms safety and ranges fund and restructured the shooting range grant program. The 2000 legislation additionally created the Shooting Range Project Advisory Board to review grant applications and to make grant recommendations to the Game and Fish Commission.
S.B. 1250 adds an additional source of funding for the firearms safety and ranges fund from revenues derived from the sale or lease of real property owned by the Game and Fish Commission for use as public shooting ranges. The amendment additionally eliminates the grant program as the mechanism for distribution of monies in the fund and instead allows the Commission to distribute the monies in the fund for authorized uses.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state general fund associated with this bill.
1. Requires revenues derived from the sale or lease of real property owned by the Game and Fish Commission for use as public shooting ranges to be deposited to the firearms safety and ranges fund.
2. Eliminates the grant process for distribution of monies in the firearms safety and ranges fund and allows the Commission to distribute the funds for the authorized purposes.
3. Eliminates the shooting range project advisory board which reviewed grant applications and made recommendations for grant awards to the Commission.
4. Limits the use of monies in the firearms safety and range fund for only shooting ranges open to the public and operated by government or nonprofit entities.
5. Expands the allowed uses of monies in the firearms safety and ranges fund to include funding for new shooting range sites and funding for the maintenance of a shooting range under good practices and management.
6. Reconciles a dual enactment of the firearms safety and ranges fund statute that resulted from unblendable amendments passed during the 2000 regular session.
7. Makes technical and conforming changes.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
Adopted the strike everything amendment.
Limits the use of monies in the firearms safety and range fund for only shooting ranges open to the public and operated by government or nonprofit entities.
Senate Action House Action
NRAE 3/8/01 DPA/SE 8-0-0-0 NRA 3/28/01 DP 7-0-0-3
3rd Read 3/15/01 28-1-1 3rd Read 4/11/01 55-0-5-0
Final Read 4/17/01 28-1-1
Signed by Governor 4/21/01
Chapter 177
Prepared by Senate Staff
May 25, 2001