SHOOTING RANGE NOTICE AT STATE PARKS

Senate Bill 366 as passed by the Senate

Sponsor: Sen. Valde Garcia

House Committee:  Conservation, Forestry, and Outdoor Recreation

Senate Committee:  Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs

First Analysis (1-24-06)

BRIEF SUMMARY: In the four state parks having a shooting range, the bill would require the Department of Natural Resources to post their hours of operation at that park entrance.

FISCAL IMPACT:  The bill would have no fiscal impact.

THE APPARENT PROBLEM:

Four of Michigan's state parks have areas designated for target-shooting purposes. Recently, some state park visitors visited a park to picnic and hike complained that the noise from the shooting range disrupted their recreational activities. They indicated that they would not have visited the park had they known the target-shooting range was in use that day.

It has been suggested that if signs were posted at the entrances to the parks' public areas on the days when the shooting range was in use, then visitors who would be disturbed by the noise could find another location before entering the parks.

Currently, the state parks have no policy of posting signs on days when a shooting range will be in use.

THE CONTENT OF THE BILL:

Senate Bill 366 (S-1) would amend Part 741 (concerning the state parks system) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to post a notice of shooting range hours of operation at the entrance of the recreational areas in each state park containing a shooting range open to visitors. The notice would have to be posted in a visible location and the lettering of a sufficient type size to be read easily by state park visitors. The DNR would not have to post the hours of operation during which the shooting range was open for special events. If the department did not do so, however, the notice would have to include a statement to that effect.

MCL 324.74103a

 

 

HOUSE COMMITTEE ACTION:

 

The House Committee on Conservation, Forestry, and Outdoor Recreation reported the Senate-passed version of the bill without amendments.

ARGUMENTS:

For:

The bill would ensure that there would be some sort of notice posted in the public areas of Michigan's state parks that have shooting ranges, stating that the range would be in use on a particular day. Park-goers then could use other facilities if the noise would disturb them.

Response:

A representative of the Department of Natural Resources has confirmed that the four state parks having shooting ranges are already in compliance with this notice requirement.

Against:

While this is a good bill, it should be amended to require the department to post the shooting range hours of operation on the agency's website.  Some who use the parks travel by car for a considerable distance in order to enjoy their recreational opportunities.  These people should be able to learn from the website whether the shooting ranges are open, before incurring the time and expense of travel to the park.

 

POSITIONS:

The Department of Natural Resources supports the bill.  (1-19-06)

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Kirk Lindquist

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.