Legislation pre-filed in Virginia by State Delegate Dan Helmer would heavily restrict private indoor shooting ranges and require extensive background information on people who frequent them. House Bill 567 is awaiting a committee referral.
Take Action Today! Virginia sportsmen should call their state delegates and ask them to OPPOSE House Bill 567. Virginia members can contact their delegates by using the Sportsmen’s Alliance Legislative Action Directory.
While current law allows for indoor shooting ranges on private property, new language in House Bill 567 would require one of three conditions to be met for an indoor range to operate in Virginia:
- the indoor shooting range is owned or leased by the state or federal government;
- the range has less than 50 employees;
- or at least 90 percent of the range users are law enforcement officers.
A person that uses or operates a private indoor range without meeting these conditions will be subject to a fine up to $100,000!
In addition to the restrictions, HB 567 would require indoor shooting ranges to maintain a log of each customer’s name, phone number, address and the law-enforcement agency where the user is employed. This legislation is an abuse of government power that’s only intent is to explicitly target a cohort of legitimate businesses and organizations. The majority of the indoor ranges targeted by this legislation operate in areas of high population density with limited access to outdoor ranges.
“This type of calculated political attack on shooting sports and shooting organizations is completely inappropriate, a violation of individual civil rights and, frankly, dangerous. Education and training opportunity are the foundation of firearms safety. As we decrease access to training opportunities for private citizens, the potential for crime and public safety issues increases,” said Jacob Hupp, associate director of state services for Sportsmen’s Alliance. “It appears Delegate Helmer doesn’t care about American citizens’ right to bear arms nor right to privacy, and certainly doesn’t care about gun safety, education and training.”
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.