Florida Protects Shooting Ranges From Dangerous Lawsuits

NRA-ILA News Releases ^ | April 22, 2004 | NA

[neverdem]

FAIRFAX, VA -- After overwhelming support in the Florida Legislature, National Rifle Association (NRA) backed legislation (SB 1156) to stop government lawsuits against shooting ranges is headed to Governor Jeb Bush`s desk. The Governor has stated that he will sign this bill into law. SB 1156 passed both houses by a better than 2 to 1 margin.

"This bill protects shooting ranges, but it also protects the environment," said former NRA president and current board member Marion Hammer. "This law will stop damaging lawsuits by state agencies, protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, and encourage environmental clean-up of shooting facilities. On behalf of the thousands of Florida gun owners and NRA members, I want to thank supporters in the Legislature and Governor Bush for acting to save the state`s shooting facilities. I also want to recognize the efforts of Sen. Durell Peaden, Rep. Dennis Baxley, Speaker Johnnie Byrd, and Senate President Jim King."

SB 1156 prevents government lawsuits as long as ranges make a good faith effort to exercise sound environmental management practices. Government employees who proceed with such a lawsuit in violation of the act will now be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor.

"Shooting ranges are owned and operated by lawful businessmen and women who work to improve the environment and avoid contamination," added Chris W. Cox, NRA`s chief lobbyist. "I want to commend Marion Hammer for her diligence and dedication to protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and the entire shooting sports industry in Florida."

"It was vital to protect these lawful establishments from malicious state agency lawsuits that could ultimately force them out of business," added Hammer. "SB 1156 will help ensure that Florida`s firearm ranges will continue to serve law-abiding gun owners."

The 133-year-old National Rifle Association is the nation`s oldest civil rights group, and advocates enforcement of existing laws to prosecute and punish violent criminals. The NRA is the leader in teaching gun safety and promoting marksmanship. The Association has approximately four million members across America.

[neverdem]

BANG

[DBrow]

sound environmental management practices...

How does this effect the range's use of lead? Must a range now clean up all lead, or prevent all lead escape from the property boundaries?

Most skeet ranges have tens of thousands of pounds of lead on or in the soil if they have been in operation for years.

Will they need to clean it all up to avoid lawsuits?

What about fugitive mercury emissions?

I'd have to see what was in this law before I endorsed it. The article has simple words for a complex situation.

[Joe Brower]

Thanks for the ping, neverdem.

DBrow, rest assured that if Marion Hammer is behind a bill, it's a good bill. This lady has been in this fight for a long, long time, takes few, if any prisoners, and has yet to lead Florida's gun owners astray on any issue that I have ever heard of.

Would that we had more people like her.

[neverdem]

"What about fugitive mercury emissions?"

What's that, and where does the mercury come from?

[DBrow]

Mercury is still used in lots of primers.

A fugitive emission is one that is spread out or distributed; does not come from one definite place. The opposite is a "point source" emission like a vent or smokestack.

If you pop a primer outdoors, the mercury drifts away in the breeze.

[DBrow]

Where can I read the bill myself? TIA.

[OXENinFLA]

http://www.flsenate.gov/session/index.cfm?BI_Mode=ViewBillInfo&Mode=Bills&SubMenu=1&Year=2004&billnum=SB+1156

Senate 1156: Relating to Sport Shooting & Training Ranges

[TERMINATTOR]

Shooting replenishes the earths lead and mercury supplies. EARTH FIRST, we'll shoot up the rest of the galaxy later!

Molon Labe!

[neverdem]

Mercury is still used in lots of primers.

Thanks for reminding me. Are there any primers that don't use fulminate of mercury, and do you know it's actual chemical composition, i.e. what is the fulminate?

[ExSoldier]

"DBrow, rest assured that if Marion Hammer is behind a bill, it's a good bill. This lady has been in this fight for a long, long time, takes few, if any prisoners, and has yet to lead Florida's gun owners astray on any issue that I have ever heard of."

I second your comment regarding the character of Ms. Marion Hammer. I have met her several times over the years and there is nowhere on the planet a more vocifereous defender of the 2nd Amendment. In fact the fact that Florida has a CCW Law at all is directly due to her efforts. She and her group, Unified Sportsmen of Florida essentially wrote the FL CCW Bill. Remember in the past 25 years since the law took effect, whenever another state passed such legislation, they used "The Florida Model." So many of y'all owe your right to carry concealed, to Ms Hammer!

[Joe Brower]

Where can I read the bill myself?

Here you go! Be patient; the server is rather slow.

[neverdem]

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.

fulminate

(fl´mnt) (KEY) , any salt of fulminic acid, HONC, a highly unstable compound known only in solution. The term is most commonly applied to the explosive mercury (II) fulminate, also called fulminate of mercury, Hg(ONC)2. The pure compound forms white cubic crystals. It is made by the action of nitric acid on mercury metal in the presence of alcohol and is often collected as a gray or brown sandy powder. It is very sensitive to heat, shock, or friction and is used in primers, detonators, and blasting caps.

[Unicorn]

I love it!

[ninenot]

Wisconsin passed similar legislation a few years back.

The laws are in place because the green weenies, in concert with real estate developers, sought to close up or place ridiculous restrictions on outdoor ranges.

The Wisconsin legislation was at least partially responsible for maintaining a range owned by Wisconsin's DNR and operated by a contractor. Range located about 30 miles WSW of Milwaukee. Town chairman wanted to shut it down so he could develop a residential subdivision across the street from the range--he claimed noise and traffic was a problem...

Essentially, he got stuffed by the legislation.

[VeniVidiVici]

How does this effect the range's use of lead? Must a range now clean up all lead, or prevent all lead escape from the property boundaries?

Taking steps to prevent lead from leaching into the earth is something that the EPA is already on the backs of ranges for.

It's my understanding this bill doesn't change any of the requirements that the ranges have to follow to prevent this.

The primary thrust of the bill is to help prevent some overzealous burrocrat from shutting down/filing suit against a range due to some bogus environmental issue, as so many watermelon organizations are currently doing in order to shut down or stop activities they don't like.

[FierceDraka]

If this passes and is enacted into law, I will truly be astonished. Not because it's a good law, but because it would be Florida doing something RIGHT, for a change.

/ worked in Florida government as a consultant, got the hell out before I was stained with the taint their corruption and lust for power.