AN ACT CONCERNING THE LOCATION OF A FIREARMS TRAINING FACILITY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) For the purposes of this section:

(1) "Firearms training facility" means an indoor or outdoor training facility designed and designated for training with firearms;

(2) "Public land" means a state park, state forest or municipal park or any other publicly owned land that is open to the public for active or passive recreation; and

(3) "State agency" has the same meaning as provided in section 1-79 of the general statutes.

(b) On and after the effective date of this section, no state agency shall construct a firearms training facility unless such state agency (1) purchased or leased the property on which such firearms training facility will be located prior to said date and such property is not public land, (2) constructs such firearms training facility on property owned or leased and used by the federal or state government as a firearms training facility prior to said date, or (3) purchases or leases property on which such firearms training facility will be located pursuant to the provisions of section 2 of this act.

(c) On and after the effective date of this section, any state agency that constructs a firearms training facility or expands a firearms training facility shall design such firearms training facility to incorporate noise reducing methods, including the installation of baffles in such a manner to reduce or redirect sound waves. The Department of Administrative Services, in consultation with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54 of the general statutes, to implement the provisions of this subsection. Such regulations may include, but need not be limited to, the size, location, construction and type of baffles in a firearms training facility.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) For the purposes of this subsection, "firearms training facility" means an indoor or outdoor training facility designed and designated for training with firearms, and "sponsoring agency" means the state department, institution or agency responsible for the preparation of an environmental impact evaluation pursuant to subsection (c) of section 22a-1b of the general statutes.

(b) After the Office of Policy and Management makes a written determination that an environmental impact evaluation with respect to a proposed construction, expansion or development of a firearms training facility satisfies the requirements of part I of chapter 439 of the general statutes, the sponsoring agency shall not make its final decision on such proposed construction, expansion or development without the approval by referendum of the municipality within whose territorial limits the firearms training facility is located or is to be located.

Sec. 3. (Effective from passage) (a) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, in consultation with the Department of Administrative Services, shall conduct a study to find a suitable replacement for the firearms training facility located in Simsbury in order to meet the firearms training needs of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The study shall include, but need not be limited to, the following: (1) A description of the needs of a firearms training facility; (2) an evaluation of each firearms training facility owned by the state or available for use by the department according to the (A) types of ranges such as indoor or outdoor, small arms, rifle or shotgun, (B) capacity of each range in terms of the number of persons that can use the range at the same time, (C) number of hours the firearms training facility can be operated per day and on weekends without creating a neighborhood nuisance, (D) on-site classroom facilities, (E) potential for expansion to meet the needs of the department, and (F) environmental issues at the site; (3) the feasibility and desirability of using an existing firearms training facility or a combination of existing firearms training facilities to meet the firearms training needs of the department; and (4) a tentative construction budget and timetable for locating the department's firearms training facility at one or more existing firearms training facilities.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2017, the department shall submit a report on the results of such study, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public safety and security.

(c) The department shall not proceed with the preparation of any environmental impact evaluation contemplated by subsection (c) of section 22a-1b of the general statutes pertaining to a firearms training facility until the report described in subsection (b) of this section is submitted.