HBA-DMH H.B. 1837 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1837 By: Denny County Affairs 3/18/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Growth in rural Texas may bring residents into closer proximity with a sport shooting range. Currently, there are restrictions on the regulation of these ranges that prohibit a governmental official from seeking a civil or criminal penalty against a range or its owner or operator under certain circumstances. House Bill 1837 extends that regulatory protection to include private clubs and associations in the definition of "sport shooting range." RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1837 amends the Local Government Code to include private clubs and associations in the meaning of "sport shooting range" (range) for the purposes of regulating a range. The bill prohibits a governmental official from seeking a civil or criminal penalty or a person from bringing a nuisance or similar cause of action against a range for specified noise-related violations, including circumstances when no applicable noise ordinance, order, or rule exists. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.