Amends and adds to existing law to establish provisions for the opening of the shotgun sporting complex in Farragut State Park.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026
IN THE SENATE
SENATE BILL NO. 1348
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
AN ACT	1
RELATING TO PUBLIC OUTDOOR TARGET RANGES; AMENDING CHAPTER 18, TITLE 36,	2
IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 36-1808, IDAHO CODE, TO PRO-	3
VIDE FOR THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC OUTDOOR TARGET RANGES;	4
AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.	5
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:	6
SECTION 1. That Chapter 18, Title 36, Idaho Code, be, and the same is	7
hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-	8
ignated as Section 36-1808, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:	9
36-1808. PUBLIC OUTDOOR TARGET RANGES.	10
(1)(a) The legislature finds that:	11
(i) In 2023, the legislature, through House Bill No. 304, as	12
enacted by the first regular session of the sixty-seventh Idaho	13
legislature, directed the Idaho fish and game commission to ex-	14
pend up to five million dollars ($5,000,000) in federal funds re-	15
ceived pursuant to the Pittman-Robertson wildfire restoration act	16
and such moneys as the state is required to match such said federal	17
funds. Such moneys were appropriated for the acquisition of forty	18
(40) to sixty (60) acres of land owned by Kootenai county adjacent	19
to the Coeur d'Alene airport in north Idaho, so that the skeet and	20
trap shooting range, located on such county-owned land, could con-	21
tinue in operation.	22
(ii) The acquisition of such land owned by Kootenai county may not	23
be possible;	24
(iii) The alternative proposed by the Idaho department of fish and	25
game, whereby the department will lease the land owned by Kootenai	26
county so that the current skeet and trap club can continue operat-	27
ing in its current form and location until such time as a new shot-	28
gun sporting complex can be constructed and opened to the public	29
in Farragut state park as soon as is practicable after December 31,	30
2039, is a sound alternative that should be pursued;	31
(iv) The Coeur d'Alene skeet and trap club, established as an im-	32
portant nonprofit in Idaho in 1947, continues to provide an in-	33
valuable service to the residents of north Idaho, and, to the ex-	34
tent possible, should be allowed to continue its mission and ser-	35
vice at its current location and any new location that may be cre-	36
ated pursuant to this section; and	37
(v) The continuation of the long-standing skeet and trap club	38
and expansion of such public outdoor target range opportunities	39
in north Idaho is consistent with this chapter and the purpose for	40
which such funds are available.	41
(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to:	42

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(i) Ensure the continuation and provide for the expansion of	1
public outdoor target range recreational opportunities in north	2
Idaho through the use of moneys previously appropriated through	3
House Bill No. 304, as enacted by the first regular session of the	4
sixty-seventh Idaho legislature; and	5
(ii) Support the continuation of the long-standing Coeur d'Alene	6
skeet and trap club as an invaluable part of north Idaho's commu-	7
nity and economy.	8
(2) The commission shall develop a long-term plan for the development	9
of a shotgun sporting complex to be located in Farragut state park. Such	10
plan, and revisions thereto, shall be made publicly available and provided	11
to the house resources and conservation committee and senate resources and	12
environment committee for their review during the 2027 legislative session.	13
(a) Such plan shall be reviewed by the commission at least every five	14
(5) years and shall be revised by the commission to reflect changes in	15
land use, technologies, and planning and as the commission deems neces-	16
sary.	17
(b) Upon request by the commission, the department of fish and game may:	18
(i) Assist the commission in the development and execution of the	19
plan;	20
(ii) Enter into negotiations to lease or acquire property; and	21
(iii) Perform such other duties as may be requested.	22
(c) The commission may execute such leases or acquisitions on behalf of	23
and in the name of the state of Idaho pursuant to section 36-104, Idaho	24
Code.	25
(3) The commission shall coordinate its efforts with the director of	26
the department of fish and game to promptly develop and open to the public a	27
shotgun sporting complex within Farragut state park no later than December	28
31, 2040. The shotgun sporting complex shall include, at least:	29
(a) Six (6) combination trap and skeet fields;	30
(b) Fifteen (15) sporting clay stations with at least four (4) mechani-	31
cal target throwers at each sporting clay station for a total of at least	32
sixty (60) mechanical target throwers. Of the mechanical target throw-	33
ers:	34
(i) At least two (2) of the mechanical target throwers shall be	35
capable of throwing rabbit targets; and	36
(ii) At least three (3) shall be teal/chandelle mechanical target	37
throwers;	38
(c) One (1) five-stand station that has at least ten (10) mechanical	39
throwing machines, of which there are at least:	40
(i) Two (2) tower-mounted throwing machines;	41
(ii) One (1) machine capable of throwing rabbit targets; and	42
(iii) One (1) teal/chandelle mechanical target throwing machine;	43
(d) Such other commercial trap machines as are desired by the depart-	44
ment of fish and game; and	45
(e) Public infrastructure sufficient to accommodate patrons of the	46
complex, including but not limited to constructing and maintaining:	47
(i) A clubhouse and bathrooms with sufficient parking for vehi-	48
cles with trailers;	49
(ii) Outdoor seating and safety signage;	50

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(iii) Pathways for public use that are navigable by off-highway	1
vehicles and golf carts; and	2
(iv) Storage facilities.	3
(4) Under no circumstances shall the skeet and trap shooting range lo-	4
cated in Kootenai county cease operations while the department is leasing	5
such lands prior to the opening of the shotgun sporting complex in Farragut	6
state park.	7
(a) The department of fish and game shall be responsible for the con-	8
tinued operation and management of the shooting range regardless of	9
whether the department fails to find a suitable concessionaire or the	10
concessionaire terminates its lease or otherwise fails to operate the	11
range.	12
(b) The department shall continue leasing the Kootenai county land un-	13
til the shotgun sporting complex is opened to the public. Such lease	14
shall not be terminated or not renewed by fault, in any way, of the de-	15
partment unless such action is necessary due to the Farragut sporting	16
complex being opened to the public.	17
(5) To fulfill the duties provided by this section, the commission	18
shall apply for and use Pittman-Robertson wildlife restoration act funds	19
and such other sums appropriated to it pursuant to House Bill No. 304, as	20
enacted by the first regular session of the sixty-seventh Idaho legislature.	21
Additional moneys needed by the commission may be requested and provided	22
pursuant to legislative appropriation upon a showing by the commission that	23
moneys previously appropriated are not sufficient to or cannot cover a por-	24
tion of the costs to construct, operate, maintain, and keep the complex open	25
to the public.	26
(6) Each year, the department of fish and game shall provide a written	27
report on any actions related to the acquisition, lease, or planning of the	28
properties described in this section to the joint finance-appropriations	29
committee, senate resources and environment committee, and house resources	30
and conservation committee.	31
SECTION 2. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby	32
declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after	33
July 1, 2026.	34

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