HB5151 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 18657 AJO 63891 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB5151

Introduced 2/8/2012, by Rep. Patrick J. Verschoore

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

740 ILCS 130/5

Amends the Premises Liability Act. Provides that an owner or operator of a firearm range placed in operation after January 1, 1994 is immune from criminal liability and is not subject to any action for public or private nuisance or trespass arising out of or as a consequence of noise or sound emissions resulting from the normal use of the firearm range if: all areas from which a firearm may be properly discharged are at least 500 (rather than 1,000) yards from any occupied permanent dwelling on adjacent property; or the firearm range met those requirements at the time the range began its operation and subsequently an occupied permanent dwelling on adjacent property was built within 500 (rather than 1,000) yards from an area of the range from which a firearm may be properly discharged. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning civil law.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Premises Liability Act is amended by changing Section 5 as follows:

(740 ILCS 130/5)

Sec. 5. Firearm ranges; liability.

(a) As used in this Section, "firearm range" means a rifle, pistol, silhouette, skeet, trap, black powder, or other similar range in this State used for discharging firearms in a sporting event, for practice or instruction in the use of a firearm, or for the testing of a firearm. "Firearm range" also includes licensed shooting preserves and public hunting areas operated or licensed by the Department of Natural Resources.

(b) An owner or operator of a firearm range in existence on January 1, 1994, is immune from any criminal liability arising out of or as a consequence of noise or sound emissions resulting from the normal use of the firearm range. An owner or operator of a firearm range is not subject to any action for public or private nuisance or trespass and no court in this State shall enjoin the use or operation of a firearm range on the basis of noise or sound emissions resulting from the normal use of the firearm range.

(c) An owner or operator of a firearm range placed in operation after January 1, 1994, is immune from any criminal liability and is not subject to any action for public or private nuisance or trespass arising out of or as a consequence of noise or sound emissions resulting from the normal use of the firearm range, if the firearm range conforms to any one of the following requirements:

(1) All areas from which a firearm may be properly discharged are at least 500 1,000 yards from any occupied permanent dwelling on adjacent property.

(2) All areas from which a firearm may be properly discharged are enclosed by a permanent building or structure that absorbs or contains sound energy escaping from the muzzle of firearms in use.

(3) If the firearm range is situated on land otherwise subject to land use zoning, the firearm range is in compliance with the requirements of the zoning authority.

(4) The firearm range is operated by a governmental entity or is licensed by the Department of Natural Resources.

(5) The firearm range met the requirements of clause (1) of this subsection (c) at the time the range began its operation and subsequently an occupied permanent dwelling on adjacent property was built within 500 1,000 yards from an area of the range from which a firearm may be properly discharged.

(Source: P.A. 94-387, eff. 7-29-05.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.