SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6089

              As Passed Senate, January 24, 1996

Title:  An act relating to eligibility for firearms funding.

Brief Description:  Changing criteria for eligibility for firearms range account funding.

Sponsors:  Senator Rasmussen, Drew, Sheldon, Roach, Oke, A. Anderson and Goings.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources:  1/9/96, 1/11/96 [DP].

Passed Senate, 1/24/96, 43-2.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Drew, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; A. Anderson, Haugen, Morton, Oke, Snyder and Swecker.

Staff:  Vic Moon (786-7469)

Background:  In 1994, the Legislature created a firearms range account to establish funding for public firearms ranges in Washington.  The provisions of the funding are administered by the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation.  Applicants other than school districts or local or state governments must be registered as nonprofit or not-for-profit organizations, both with the Washington Secretary of State under state law and the United States Internal Revenue Service under federal law.  The double requirement for registration of nonprofits with both the state and the federal government has caused problems, since the state and the federal government provisions are contradictory.  The firearms range account is part of the state general fund.  The account receives $3 from each new or renewed concealed pistol license.  The account may also be funded by gifts or donations.

The money in the range account is administered by the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation.  Money from the account may be used for grants to public or private firearms ranges.  The grants are provided on a matching basis of one-to-one.  The match provided by a range may be cash or in-kind.  Grants may be awarded for any of a number of purposes, including purchase and development of land, construction or improvement of range facilities, equipment purchase, safety or environmental improvements, noise abatement, and liability protection.

Summary of Bill:  The requirement for applicants to be registered as a nonprofit or not-for-profit organization with the United States federal Internal Revenue Service is eliminated.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The duplicate nonprofit requirement is impossible to meet since the state and federal regulations are diametrically opposed.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Jim Williams, Tacoma Sportsmen's Club; Laura Eckert Johnson, Interagency Committee; Jim McAfee, Pierce County Sportsmen Club; Ken Koski, Washington Trappers; David Reynard.

House Amendment(s):  The Interagency Committee is directed to give priority to grants for noise abatement and for safety improvements, and these kinds of grants need only be matched on a two-for-one basis.