Range Protection bill filed > Texas

Posted: 2/21/2011 10:29:25 AM EDT

E-mail from the TSRA. Doesn't mention Ralph's but some of you may know of the other ranges listed.

SB 766 by Sen. Craig Estes

Shooting Range Protection Act

Over the past year and a half, I've collected stories from
shooting range owners around the state. As Texas grows and
develops these small businesses are being crowded out. Without a
strong network of shooting ranges, Texas will lose a valuable source for
recreation, education, and public safety and Texans will be more likely to
"plink in their backyard" or not practice at all.

Bare Arms Shooting Range
in Polk County,
near Livingston is an example of a safe range struggling with growth and
development. For the past fourteen years, Bare Arms has
operated without accident or complaint. Recently a Dallas
Developer, Frank Nuchereno with Anthony Properties, purchased 200 acres
adjoining the range and has attempted to squeeze out the little gun
range. So far an injunction against Bare Arms has been denied but
the attempt required this small business owner to hire legal counsel.

Arrowhead Shooting Range
in Brazos County, Centex
Shooting Range near Waco, and Chandler Shooting Range near Valley Mills,
are
also threatened by encroaching development as large tracts of land are bought up
and subdivided. This is happening although the ranges were built
long before property development.

Southeast
Texas Sportsman's Club is near Beaumont,
situated on 55 acres with 20-foot berms top-dressed with pine mulch.The
owner, Jim Hedrick, talked with me after a neighbor complained that a bullet hit
her house. The neighbor with the problem was not down-range and was the
likely target of vandals, not an uncommon occurrence in the
country.

.

Other safe
Texas sport shooting ranges are under fire.

Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) has filed
SB 766 which should go a long way to protect indoor and outdoor sport shooting
ranges and shooting clubs, whether the range is located in a city or on county
land.

SB 766 adds range protection language to the
Civil Remedies Code already written to protect Texas firearm manufactures and
dealers from frivolous lawsuits.

If the range is unsafe, if rounds or portions of
a round are leaving
the property the law is being broken, neighbors can bring about a cause of
action but there must be "clear and convincing evidence", not a witch hunt where
every bullet hole in every stop sign in a county is attributed to the local by
shooting range.

Without shooting ranges, concealed handgun
licensees are left with no place to practice, hunters have no place to sight-in
their deer rifle, and 4-H Shooting Sports youth have no place to learn gun
safety. Law enforcement often use private shooting ranges, most
counties don't own a law enforcement facility.

TSRA applauds Senator Estes for taking on range
protection and TSRA strongly supports SB 766, legislation to protect a
vanishing, valuable safety resource, the sport shooting ranges of Texas.

We expect a companion House bill to be filed
soon. More information on this issue and other bills before the
Texas Legislature coming soon.

Read and track this legislation on line at:

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=SB766

Posted: 2/21/2011 2:48:11 PM EDT

[#1]

This is good news. These lawsuits are bullshit just like the folks that buy a house near an airport then complain about the noise.

Posted: 2/21/2011 2:56:23 PM EDT

[#2]

The sad part is we passed this law a few years ago and it had no affect.

Posted: 2/21/2011 3:06:41 PM EDT

[#3]

In this area we lost:

Collin County Gun Range

BackWoods Traps

Ralph's

APG

.....

Posted: 3/5/2011 7:00:35 AM EDT

[#4]

Update on the range bill:

Range Protection Act! SB 766 To Have Public Hearing

On Monday, March 7^th, SB
766 by Sen. Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) will be heard in the Senate
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. Senate Bill
766 goes a long way to protect Texas shooting ranges from frivolous
lawsuits. We are rapidly losing shooting ranges across the state
as land develops.

SB 766 will not protect an unsafe range, as current state law
requires at all rounds or portions of a round stay within the property
boundaries. However, developers are spending thousands of dollars
to crowd out shooting ranges, although often selling lots where shooting is
allowed. Texans will soon be left to "plink" in their
backyard.

Contact members of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Committee and urge them to support SB 766 and move it to the
Senate floor. This is another TSRA legislative agenda bill, good
for gun owners and good for Texas.

Committee members are : Sen. Craig Estes
(chairman), Sen. Uresti (vc), Sen. Glenn Hegar, Sen. Hinojosa, Sen. Dan
Patrick. Urge these committee members to pass SB
766 quickly out of committee.

Contact Texas Senators

SB 766 by Estes and the House companion, HB 1595
by Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs) will go a long way to protect an
endangered business, the Texas shooting range.

Warning

Confirm Action

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Range Protection bill filed

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Range Protection bill filed