Bill > S992

This bill, the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act, aims to increase federal support for the creation and expansion of public target ranges, which are places identified by government agencies for recreational shooting and are open to the public for activities like archery or shooting with rifles, pistols, or shotguns. It achieves this by amending the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, a law that provides federal funding to states for wildlife restoration projects, including the construction and maintenance of public target ranges. Specifically, the bill allows states to use up to 90 percent of federal funds for acquiring land, expanding, or constructing these ranges, a higher percentage than previously allowed for some activities. Additionally, it clarifies that managing or allowing the use of federal land for target practice is considered a discretionary function, meaning the U.S. government generally won't be held liable for injuries or damages occurring at federally funded or located public target ranges, except under specific circumstances outlined in the Federal Tort Claims Act. The bill also expresses a desire for the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to work with other authorities to manage federal lands used as target ranges, encouraging their continued use.