RSA Chapter 159-B — Shooting Ranges

Title XII — Public Safety and Welfare

Current through the 2025 Regular Session of the New Hampshire General Court.

Title XII Public Safety and Welfare

RSA 159-B:1 Exemption

Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 644:2, III(a) or any other law to the contrary, no person who owns, operates, or uses a shooting range in this state shall be subject to civil liability or criminal prosecution in any matter relating to noise or noise pollution, provided that the owners of the range are in compliance with any applicable noise control ordinances in existence at the time the range was established, was constructed, or began operations.

Source. 2004, 83:2, eff. May 7, 2004.

RSA 159-B:2 Injunctions

The owners, operators, or users of shooting ranges shall not be subject to any action for nuisance and no court shall enjoin the use or operation of a range on the basis of noise or noise pollution, provided that the owners of the range are in compliance with any noise control ordinance that was in existence at the time the range was established, was constructed, or began operations.

Source. 2004, 83:2, eff. May 7, 2004.

RSA 159-B:3 Expansion

Subsequent physical expansion of the shooting range or change in the types of firearms in use at the range shall not establish a new date of commencement of operations for the portion or portions in existence prior to the expansion for the purposes of this chapter.

Source. 2004, 83:2, eff. May 7, 2004.

RSA 159-B:4 Retroactivity Prohibited

No administrative rule, statute, or ordinance adopted, enacted, or proposed by the state of New Hampshire or its political subdivisions shall be applied retroactively to prohibit or limit the scope of the shooting activities previously conducted at a shooting range, which was in operation prior to the adoption, enactment, enforcement, or proposal of the administrative rule, statute, or ordinance.

Source. 2004, 83:2, eff. May 7, 2004.

RSA 159-B:5 Nuisance

Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a person may not maintain a nuisance action for noise or noise pollution against a shooting range, or the owners, operators, or users of the range, located in the vicinity of that person's property, if the shooting range was established, constructed, or being used on a regular basis as of the date the person acquired the property.

Source. 2004, 83:2, eff. May 7, 2004.

RSA 159-B:6 Exemption From State Standards

No standard in rules adopted by any state agency for limiting levels of noise in terms of decibel level, which may occur in the outdoor atmosphere, shall apply to the shooting ranges exempted from liability under the provisions of this chapter.

Source. 2004, 83:2, eff. May 7, 2004.

RSA 159-B:7 Cause of Action

The owners of a shooting range shall have a right of action in superior court to enforce the provisions of this chapter.

Source. 2004, 83:2, eff. May 7, 2004.

RSA 159-B:8 Definitions

In this chapter:

I. "Noise" shall mean the intensity, duration, and character of sounds from shooting.

II. "Shooting range" shall mean a property or properties designed and operated for persons using rifles, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, or blackpowder weapons; archery; air rifles; silhouettes; skeet ranges; trap ranges; or other similar facilities.

Source. 2004, 83:2, eff. May 7, 2004.