Shooting sports promotion for persons with disabilities appropriation
Summary
SF2519 is a one-time appropriation bill that provides $50,000 in fiscal year 2026 from the state general fund to the commissioner of natural resources. The money would be granted to Forgotten Heroes Ranges and Retreat, a nonprofit or similar entity named in the bill, to promote shooting sports for persons with disabilities and to host a dedicated shooting day for people with disabilities.
The bill is narrow in scope and does not create a new regulatory program or amend broader natural resources law. Instead, it directs state funding to a specific recipient for a targeted outreach and access initiative related to recreational shooting sports. The stated purpose is to support participation by individuals with disabilities in shooting activities and to facilitate a disability-focused event.
Impact
The bill would affect state law primarily through a direct general fund appropriation in the natural resources area, authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to pass through funds as a grant to Forgotten Heroes Ranges and Retreat. It would not appear to alter eligibility rules, licensing requirements, or conservation statutes, but it would create a specific fiscal obligation for fiscal year 2026 and identify a named recipient for state support. The practical impact would be to subsidize programming and event costs for disability-inclusive shooting sports access.
Sentiment
The available context suggests a generally positive or supportive posture toward the bill, as it is framed around expanding recreational access and inclusion for persons with disabilities. There is no recorded committee debate, vote tally, or opposition in the provided materials, so sentiment cannot be measured from formal action history. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to be presented as a modest, targeted grant with a charitable or community-access purpose.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided committee transcripts or voting history, because none were supplied. Potential areas of debate, if raised, would likely concern the use of general fund dollars for a single named recipient, the appropriateness of state support for shooting sports, and whether the appropriation should be directed to a broader competitive grant process instead of a specific organization. However, these concerns are not reflected in the available record.
Lead prohibited in ammunition for hunting and in fishing tackle, nontoxic standard established for shooting facilities and school shooting sports, and money appropriated.