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Legislators want to clarify a law that previously allowed amateur gun ranges in neighborhoods. As Matt Galka tells us, a new proposal would ban bullets in the backyard.

A homemade backyard gun range concerned neighbors in St. Petersburg earlier this year.  The makeshift target was in Representative Darryl Rouson’s (D-St. Petersburg) district.

“A 21 year old thought that he could set up a gun range in his daddy’s backyard and the neighbors realized how unsafe that was and how threatening it was,” he said.

The incident inspired action from Rouson in 2015 that ultimately failed.  But a bill that would ban backyard gun ranges is back for 2016 – this time with a Republican sponsor and added support.

“The NRA a lot of folks support it and just think it’s a common sense safety bill,” said sponsor Rep. Neil Combee (R-Polk County).

The Florida Police Chiefs Association is also backing the bill aimed at clarifying a current law prohibiting private ranges.

The bill would have no effect on recreational gun clubs.

“It never meant to capture five acre, 50 acre plots, farms, rural areas where there’s not much density. What we meant to capture was urban cores where people with neighbors 25 yards apart,” said Rep. Rouson.

Rep. Combee is confident the proposal passes.

“There will be bipartisan support, support of the Police chiefs association support of the NRA, I think it’ll be one that will pass early,” he said.

The bill applies to areas with a density of one or more houses per acre and includes a penalty of a first degree misdemeanor charge if someone sets up a private range.