Public shooting ranges funding.

WORKING DRAFT
2005
STATE OF WYOMING
05LSO-0566.E1

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0271

Public shooting ranges funding.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Hinckley, Diercks, Luthi, Morgan and Samuelson and Senator(s) Jennings

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to public shooting ranges; providing for awarding of grants for development of public shooting range facilities and programs as specified; providing for an advisory board; providing for rules and regulations; providing an appropriation; providing for the continuous appropriation of funds; requiring a report; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.
W.S. 23
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1001 through 23
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1007 are created to read:

ARTICLE 10
PUBLIC SHOOTING RANGE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

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1001.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article:

(i)

"Board" means the Wyoming public shooting range development advisory board created by W.S. 23
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1003;

(ii)

"Public shooting program" means a program conducted at a public shooting range which increases the public appreciation, enjoyment or development of skills in shooting disciplines;

(iii)

"Public shooting range" means a shooting range that is available and accessible to the general public. If a facility is owned, managed and operated by a nongovernmental organization, the facility shall provide unlimited public memberships or day use fees at a reasonable rate as determined by the commission to qualify as a public shooting range under this article;

(iv)

"Shooting range" means an indoor or outdoor facility for shooting disciplines including trap, skeet and sporting clays, facilities for practice firing of air gun, rim fire, center fire, small bore and large bore rifles, pistols or handguns, black powder firearms or facilities for practice firing of archery equipment.

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1002.

Powers and duties; rules and regulations; funds and grant awards; development of public shooting facilities and programs.

(a)

The commission shall:

(i)

Adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement this article;

(ii)

Receive and disburse funds authorized by this article, including funds appropriated by the legislature, or from private gifts or grants to be used for purposes of this article;

(iii)

Ensure that any grant award and any disbursement of grant funds are utilized in accordance with this article;

(iv)

Upon request from a public shooting range facility or local government, assist in the planning and development of public shooting range facilities and programs;

(v)

Assist in the planning and development of programs to educate the public on the shooting disciplines.

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1003.

Wyoming shooting range development advisory board created.

There is created the Wyoming shooting range development advisory board. The board shall advise the commission in determining the award of grants under W.S. 23
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1007.

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1004.

Wyoming shooting range development advisory board; members; expenses.

(a)

The Wyoming shooting range development advisory board shall consist of five (5) members, as follows:

(i)

The director of the department or his designee;

(ii)

The hunter education coordinator with the department;

(iii)

One (1) member of the commission or his designee;

(iv)

Two (2) members of the shooting sports community appointed by the governor.

(b)

The terms of members appointed under paragraph (a)(iv) of this section shall be for four (4) years. Of the initial appointees under paragraph (a)(iv) of this section, one (1) member shall be appointed for two (2) years and one (1) member shall be appointed for four (4) years. The governor may remove any member appointed under paragraph (a)(iv) of this section as provided in W.S. 9
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202. A vacancy on the board shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term. The board shall select one (1) of its members to serve as chairman.

(c)

The board shall meet not less than two (2) times each year. Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties in the manner and amounts provided by law for state employees. Members who are government employees or public officials shall be considered on official business of their agency when performing duties as members of the board.

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1005.

Board; duties and responsibilities.

(a)

The Wyoming shooting range development advisory board shall:

(i)

Review innovative program grants and grant proposals for the development of new public shooting range facilities and the expansion of existing public shooting range facilities;

(ii)

Advise the commission on criteria for grant categories and grant applications, which shall be implemented through rules and regulations promulgated by the commission to meet the following public purposes:

(A)

To meet the demands of Wyoming's shooting sports population for public shooting range facilities;

(B)

To enhance the availability of public shooting programs;

(C)

To be cost effective in the provision of public shooting range facilities and programs; and

(D)

To increase public access, including access for persons with disabilities to public shooting range facilities.

(iii)

Consult with and a
dvise the commission on the awarding of grants pursuant to W.S. 23
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1007;

(iv)

C
onsult with and advise the commission in the promulgation of reasonable rules and regulations in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this article; and

(v)

Consider other necessary matters.

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1006.

Wyoming shooting range development account; establishment of account; use of funds.

(a)

A separate account is established which shall be referred to as the Wyoming public shooting range development account. The account shall consist of those funds designated to the account by law
and other contributions, grants, gifts, bequests and donations to the account.

(b)

The funds deposited in the Wyoming public shooting range development account are continuously appropriated to and shall be administered by the commission with the advice and counsel of the Wyoming public shooting range development advisory board to fund grants in accordance with W.S. 23
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1007 and to pay expenses of the board authorized under W.S. 23
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1004(c).

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1007.

Disbursement of grants.

(a)

From the funds available for distribution, the board may advise the commission on the awarding of grants and the commission may award grants to public shooting range facilities throughout the state to support the purposes specified in W.S. 23
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1005(a)(ii), in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the commission.

(b)

Notwithstanding W.S. 9
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207, unobligated or unencumbered funds retained by the commission under this section shall not lapse at the end of a fiscal period and shall remain available for distribution as provided in this section.

Section 2.
W.S. 23
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302(a) by creating new paragraphs (xxx) and (xxxi) is amended to read:

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302.

Powers and duties.

(a)

The commission is directed and empowered:

(xxx)

To promulgate rules and regulations in
consultation with the Wyoming public shooting range development advisory board created under W.S. 23
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1003, to establish a formula for distribution of funds available for distribution under W.S. 23
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1007;

(xxxi)

To maintain, manage and be responsible for the awarding of grants and distribution of the funds appropriated for distribution under W.S. 23
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1007.

Section 3.

(a)

There is appropriated thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00) to be used by the shooting range development advisory board to analyze the extent of the need for shooting range development in Wyoming. This analysis may include an inventory of existing shooting ranges in Wyoming, their funding needs, availability to the public, and an inventory of locations where adequate ranges do not exist to meet public demand. The analysis may also include an investigation of other funding sources available for shooting range creation and development. By September 1, 2005, the board shall provide a report to the joint travel, recreation, wildlife and cultural resources interim committee summarizing its analysis and providing recommendations regarding future funding of a public shooting range development program.

(b)

By September 1, 2005, and annually thereafter, the game and fish commission shall provide a report to the joint travel, recreation, wildlife and cultural resources interim committee specifying a detailed list of the projects funded and the amount provided for each project from the Wyoming public shooting range development account.

Section 4.
This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

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HB0271