Bill HF2501, SF1595

1.1          A bill for an act
1.2          relating to environment; prohibiting the use of lead ammunition when hunting;
1.3          prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and use of lead tackle; establishing a nontoxic
1.4          ammunition performance standard for shooting sports facilities; requiring nontoxic
1.5          ammunition in school shooting sports; requiring reports; appropriating money;
1.6          amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 38.33; 38.331, subdivision 1; 87A.02,
1.7          subdivision 2; 87A.10; 97A.045, by adding a subdivision; 128C.02, by adding a
1.8          subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 38;
1.9          97B; 97C; 325E.
1.10       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.11       ARTICLE 1
1.12       4H SHOOTING SPORTS PROGRAM

1.13       Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 38.33, is amended to read:
1.14       38.33 COORDINATION TO MAINTAIN COUNTY EXTENSION WORK.
1.15       Sections 38.33 to 38.38 38.39 coordinate the work of the federal, state, and county
1.16       government and the Minnesota Extension Service of the University of Minnesota to maintain
1.17       county extension work.

1.18       Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 38.331, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.19                       Subdivision 1.Application. In sections 38.33 to 38.38 38.39, the definitions in this
1.20       section apply.

1.21       Sec. 3. [38.39] 4H SHOOTING SPORTS AND ANGLING.
1.22       4H extension work related to shooting sports or angling must:
2.1          (1) prohibit using lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle and require using nontoxic
2.2          ammunition and nontoxic fishing tackle; and
2.3          (2) include an educational component about the toxic effects of lead ammunition and
2.4          lead fishing tackle and about nontoxic alternatives.

2.5          EFFECTIVE DATE. This article is effective ......

2.6          ARTICLE 2
2.7          SHOOTING SPORTS, SHOOTING RANGES, AND EDUCATION

2.8          Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 87A.02, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.9                          Subd. 2.Best practices. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), for purposes of this
2.10       chapter, the November 1999 revised edition of the National Rifle Association's Range Source
2.11       Book: A Guide to Planning and Construction shall serve serves as best practices for shooting
2.12       range performance standards.
2.13       (b) The shooting range performance standards under this chapter include a prohibition
2.14       on possessing and using lead ammunition. To operate in compliance with the performance
2.15       standards, a shooting range must allow possessing and using only nontoxic ammunition,
2.16       except by peace officers or other government officials or employees or their agents when
2.17       performing a duty required by law.

2.18       EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective ......

2.19       Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 87A.10, is amended to read:
2.20       87A.10 SHOOTING SPORTS FACILITY GRANTS.
2.21       The commissioner of natural resources shall must administer a program to provide
2.22       cost-share grants to local recreational shooting clubs or local units of government for up to
2.23       50 percent of the costs of developing or rehabilitating shooting sports facilities for public
2.24       use. The commissioner must give preference to projects that will provide the most
2.25       opportunities for youth. A facility rehabilitated or developed with a grant under this section
2.26       must:
2.27       (1) be open to the general public at reasonable times and for a reasonable fee on a walk-in
2.28       basis. The commissioner shall give preference to projects that will provide the most
2.29       opportunities for youth.;
2.30       (2) allow possessing and using only nontoxic ammunition; and
3.1          (3) include an educational component about the toxic effects of lead ammunition and
3.2          about nontoxic alternatives.

3.3          EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective ..... and applies to grants awarded on or
3.4          after that date.

3.5          Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97A.045, is amended by adding a subdivision to
3.6          read:
3.7                          Subd. 14.Education about nontoxic ammunition and tackle. The commissioner must
3.8          include education about the toxic effects of lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle and
3.9          about nontoxic alternatives to lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle as part of the
3.10       department's overall effort in hunting and fishing recruitment and retention.

3.11       EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective ......

3.12       ARTICLE 3
3.13       NONTOXIC AMMUNITION; HUNTING

3.14       Section 1. [97B.032] NONTOXIC AMMUNITION REQUIRED.
3.15                       Subdivision 1.Lead ammunition prohibited. (a) A person may not use or possess lead
3.16       ammunition when hunting with firearms in a scientific and natural area, a peatland scientific
3.17       and natural area, or a state park.
3.18       (b) After ....., a person may not use or possess lead ammunition when hunting with
3.19       firearms in this state.
3.20                       Subd. 2.Hunter notification. The commissioner must notify hunters of the requirements
3.21       of this section.
3.22                       Subd. 3.Civil penalty. A person who violates this section is subject to the following
3.23       civil penalties:
3.24       (1) $500 for the first offense; and
3.25       (2) a penalty of at least $1,000 but no more than $5,000 for each subsequent offense.
3.26                       Subd. 4.Nontoxic ammunition vouchers. (a) To the extent that funding is available,
3.27       the commissioner must establish a program to provide hunters and shooting sports participants
3.28       with nontoxic ammunition at no cost or at a reduced cost. A voucher must not be provided
3.29       in an amount that exceeds the average cost of nontoxic ammunition in the state as determined
3.30       by the commissioner. The commissioner may work with partners to secure additional
3.31       resources for the program from local, federal, and private sources.
4.1          (b) By January 15 each year, the commissioner must submit a report on implementing
4.2          this section to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and
4.3          divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources. The report must include
4.4          information about redemption rates of vouchers issued under this section during the previous
4.5          fiscal year.
4.6                          Subd. 5.Ammunition buy-back and exchange program. To the extent that funding
4.7          is available, the commissioner must establish a program to buy back lead ammunition from
4.8          hunters and shooting sports participants and must provide opportunities for hunters and
4.9          shooting sports participants to exchange lead ammunition with nontoxic ammunition.
4.10                       Subd. 6.Exemption. Subdivision 1 does not apply to peace officers or other government
4.11       officials or employees or their agents when carrying out a duty required by law.

4.12       EFFECTIVE DATE. Subdivision 1, paragraph (a), is effective ...... The remainder of
4.13       this section is effective ......

4.14       ARTICLE 4
4.15       NONTOXIC FISHING TACKLE

4.16       Section 1. [97C.316] LEAD TACKLE PROHIBITED.
4.17                       Subdivision 1.Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
4.18       meanings given:
4.19       (1) "jig" means a weighted hook but does not include other fishing-related items, including
4.20       fishing line, flies, lures, or spoons; and
4.21       (2) "sinker" means a device that is designed to be attached to a fishing line to sink the
4.22       line but does not include artificial lures, weighted line, weighted flies, or jig heads.
4.23                       Subd. 2.Prohibition. A person may not use a sinker or jig to take fish if the sinker or
4.24       jig:
4.25       (1) contains lead; and
4.26       (2) weighs one ounce or less or measures 2.5 inches or less in length, or both.

4.27       EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective ......

4.28       Sec. 2. [325E.3893] LEAD FISHING TACKLE.
4.29                       Subdivision 1.Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
4.30       meanings given:
5.1          (1) "jig" means a weighted hook but does not include other fishing-related items, such
5.2          as fishing line, flies, lures, or spoons; and
5.3          (2) "sinker" means a device that is designed to be attached to a fishing line to sink the
5.4          line but does not include artificial lures, weighted line, weighted flies, or jig heads.
5.5                          Subd. 2.Prohibition. A person may not sell, offer for sale, or manufacture for sale in
5.6          Minnesota a sinker or jig that:
5.7          (1) contains lead; and
5.8          (2) weighs one ounce or less or measures 2.5 inches or less in length, or both.

5.9          EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective .......

5.10       ARTICLE 5
5.11       STATE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE

5.12       Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 128C.02, is amended by adding a subdivision
5.13       to read:
5.14                       Subd. 3d.Nontoxic ammunition. By ....., the league must adopt league rules that prohibit
5.15       using lead ammunition and require using nontoxic ammunition at all shooting sport practices,
5.16       competitions, training, and other events.

5.17       ARTICLE 6
5.18       APPROPRIATIONS

5.19       Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS.
 5.20      (a) $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the ..... fund to the commissioner of
5.21       natural resources for the nontoxic ammunition voucher program established under Minnesota
5.22       Statutes, section 97B.032, subdivision 4. This is a onetime appropriation.
5.23       (b) $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the ..... fund to the commissioner of
5.24       natural resources for the ammunition buy-back and exchange program established under
5.25       Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.032, subdivision 5. This is a onetime appropriation.
5.26       (c) $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated to the commissioner of health to conduct
5.27       diagnostic blood lead level tests for persons under the age of 18 who presently participate
5.28       in or who participated in the past in shooting sports.
6.1          (d) $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated to the commissioner of health to test lead
6.2          levels in private drinking water wells and aquifers hydrologically near Minnesota shooting
6.3          sports facilities.