New Arizona Law Makes It Harder To Close State-Owned Public Shooting Ranges
New Arizona Law Makes It Harder To Close State-Owned Public Shooting Ranges
A measure passed by the Arizona legislature and signed into law by Gov. Katie Hobbs will add significant protection to the world-famous Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix and other state-owned ranges.
The legislature now has the final say on closing state-owned ranges
House Bill 2763, authored by Arizona State Rep. Quang Nguyen, requires approval from the Arizona Legislature before state-owned shooting ranges can be closed. Previously, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission could unilaterally make the decision to close such ranges.
Ben Avery opened decades before much of the surrounding development and has served generations of Arizona shooters under the operation of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The largest public range in the entire United States, it is visited by more than 120,000 people each year.
Its established ranges keep shooting activity in a safe, supervised setting rather than pushing it onto unmanaged desert land, where it can create fire hazards, unsafe conditions, litter, and environmental damage.
Rep. Nguyen: Ben Avery belongs to the people of Arizona
“Ben Avery belongs to the people of Arizona, and no state agency should be able to quietly shut it down because development moved closer or political priorities shifted,” Rep. Nguyen said. “This law puts that decision where it belongs: before the public and the lawmakers they elect. Ben Avery trains responsible gun owners, supports hunters and law enforcement, and keeps shooting activity on a supervised range instead of pushing it into the open desert. Protecting this facility protects public safety, public access and the rights of Arizona gun owners.”
CCRKBA praises the bill and the bipartisan support gap
Passage and signing of the bill was also heralded by gun-rights groups, including the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.