TITLE 6: CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE DIVISION 2 : CONTRABAND OFFENSES
§ 2256. Restrictions on Shooting Galleries and Shooting Ranges. (a) All shooting galleries and shooting ranges shall adhere to the following restrictions: (1) The Department of Public Safety shall establish requirements for the secure storage of weapons that are to be kept on the premises of the shooting galleries and shooting ranges. (2) Shooting galleries and shooting ranges must purchase at least $300,000 of liability insurance coverage. (3) Proper equipment and material and appropriate range design must be used in the construction of shooting gallery and shooting range facilities to ensure the safety of patrons and employees and to minimize the disturbance to nearby residents from noise emanating from the shooting gallery or shooting range. Shooting galleries and shooting ranges must submit such plans to the Department of Public Safety for approval before starting construction of these facilities. (4) All shooting gallery and shooting range licensees and their employees shall possess training in the safe handling and operation of firearms. This training shall be conducted by a certified basic firearms instructor approved by the National Rifle Association of America or the Department of Public Safety. (5) A range safety officer or basic firearms instructor certified by the National Rifle Association of America or the Department of Public Safety shall be employed by shooting galleries and shooting ranges to supervise dayto-day operations. This employee shall also maintain an inventory of the firearms and ammunition stored at the gallery or shooting range. This inventory shall be verified by an authorized representative of the Department of Public Safety on a weekly basis. After the inventory has been verified, a copy shall be filed immediately with the Department of Public Safety. (6) Only such firearms and ammunition as are approved for use at each shooting gallery and shooting range by the Department of Public Safety may be used at such shooting gallery of shooting range. (7) Shooting galleries and shooting ranges shall only allow persons who are 18 years of age or older to enter the gallery premises. All persons must furnish a valid driver’s license or other identification attesting to their age before entering the shooting gallery or shooting range. (8) Shooting gallery and shooting range customers may use those firearms provided by the shooting gallery or shooting range or their own private firearms. Customers using their own private firearms must first present evidence of a current firearm license and firearm registration and may only use such firearms as are approved for use by the Department of Public Safety for use at the shooting gallery of shooting range. (9) Shooting range(s) and shooting galleries shall adhere to and bear the cost of all architectural, environment and safety design, planning and construction as required by law or regulation including, but not limited to, the
TITLE 6: CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE DIVISION 2 : CONTRABAND OFFENSES
construction and cost for staffing and operations of a 24 hour security, including hi-tech monitoring devices on the shooting range(s) premises. (10) Shooting galleries shall operate from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM. (11) Shooting ranges shall operate from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Source: PL 8-5, § 6; subsection (a)(10) amended by PL 11-30, § 2; (a)(5) and (8) amended by PL 14-69, §§ 2 and 3, respectively; repealed and reenacted by PL 18-26 § 5(c) (Oct. 18, 2013). Subsection (a)(2) amended by PL 18-61 § 2 (Aug. 15, 2014); (a)(2) amended and (a)(10) enacted by PL 19-37 §§ 2–3 (Feb. 19, 2016); (a)(10) amended and (a)(11) enacted by PL 20-29 §§ 2–3 (Dec. 11, 2017). Commission Comment: With respect to the references to the “Director of the Department of Public Safety” and to the department itself, see Executive Order 94-3 (effective Aug. 23, 1994), reorganizing the executive branch, changing agency names and official titles, and effecting other changes, set forth in the Commission comment to 1 CMC § 2001. PL 11-30, § 2 that amended subsection (a)(10) of this section took effect on August 18, 1998. Section 1 of PL 11-30 stated findings as follows: Section 1. Findings: The Legislature finds that at present, the law governing shooting galleries prohibits the use of private firearms at such establishments. The Legislature also finds that this restriction has forced many licensed firearm owners to conduct target practice in places aside from the safety of shooting galleries, and such practice poses a threat to the life and property of the public at large. The Legislature further finds that in order to secure the safety of the public from stray bullets from unregulated target practices, the use of private firearms should be allowed in shooting galleries. PL 14-69 took effect on June 8, 2005 and contained the following purpose provision, in addition to severability and savings clauses: Section 1. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to update terms consistent with the National Rifle Association (NRA). Title 6 Section 2256(a)(5) of the Commonwealth Code utilized the title of “range master” when in fact the NRA certifies “range safety officers.” Title 6, Section 2256(a)(8) of the Commonwealth Code is also amended to permit shooting galleries to utilize centerfire cartridges, which are more widely used than rimfire cartridges. PL 18-61 (Aug. 15, 2014) contained, in addition to savings and severability clauses, the following Findings and Purpose section: Section 1. Findings and Purpose. Public Law 18-26 reenacted 6 CMC § 2256(a)(2) to require shooting galleries and shooting ranges to obtain at least $5,000,000 in liability insurance. Due to the size of the insurance market in the Commonwealth, the maximum liability insurance available for shooting galleries and shooting ranges in the Commonwealth is $1,000,000. The current law imposes a requirement that is impossible to
TITLE 6: CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE DIVISION 2 : CONTRABAND OFFENSES meet. The insurance requirement needs to be adjusted in order to require an amount of insurance that is available in the Commonwealth. In addition to changing the insurance requirement for shooting galleries and ranges, this Act amends 6 CMC § 2257(a) and repeals 6 CMC § 2252(d).