97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB3455

 

Introduced 2/7/2012, by Sen. Michael W. Frerichs

 

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.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB3455LRB097 18654 AJO 63888 b

1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Premises Liability Act is amended by
5changing Section 5 as follows:
 
6    (740 ILCS 130/5)
7    Sec. 5. Firearm ranges; liability.
8    (a) As used in this Section, "firearm range" means a rifle,
9pistol, silhouette, skeet, trap, black powder, or other similar
10range in this State used for discharging firearms in a sporting
11event, for practice or instruction in the use of a firearm, or
12for the testing of a firearm. "Firearm range" also includes
13licensed shooting preserves and public hunting areas operated
14or licensed by the Department of Natural Resources.
15    (b) An owner or operator of a firearm range in existence on
16January 1, 1994, is immune from any criminal liability arising
17out of or as a consequence of noise or sound emissions
18resulting from the normal use of the firearm range. An owner or
19operator of a firearm range is not subject to any action for
20public or private nuisance or trespass and no court in this
21State shall enjoin the use or operation of a firearm range on
22the basis of noise or sound emissions resulting from the normal
23use of the firearm range.

 

 

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1    (c) An owner or operator of a firearm range placed in
2operation after January 1, 1994, is immune from any criminal
3liability and is not subject to any action for public or
4private nuisance or trespass arising out of or as a consequence
5of noise or sound emissions resulting from the normal use of
6the firearm range, if the firearm range conforms to any one of
7the following requirements:
8        (1) All areas from which a firearm may be properly
9    discharged are at least 500 1,000 yards from any occupied
10    permanent dwelling on adjacent property.
11        (2) All areas from which a firearm may be properly
12    discharged are enclosed by a permanent building or
13    structure that absorbs or contains sound energy escaping
14    from the muzzle of firearms in use.
15        (3) If the firearm range is situated on land otherwise
16    subject to land use zoning, the firearm range is in
17    compliance with the requirements of the zoning authority.
18        (4) The firearm range is operated by a governmental
19    entity or is licensed by the Department of Natural
20    Resources.
21        (5) The firearm range met the requirements of clause
22    (1) of this subsection (c) at the time the range began its
23    operation and subsequently an occupied permanent dwelling
24    on adjacent property was built within 500 1,000 yards from
25    an area of the range from which a firearm may be properly
26    discharged.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 94-387, eff. 7-29-05.)
 
2    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
3becoming law.