2003 Minnesota Statutes

     97B.015 Firearms safety and wildlife identification 
  course. 

    Subdivision 1.    Establishment.  The commissioner shall 
 make rules establishing a statewide course in the safe use of 
 firearms and identification of wild mammals and birds.  At least 
 one course must be held within the boundary of each school 
 district.  The courses must be conducted by the commissioner in 
 cooperation with other organizations.  The courses must instruct 
 youths in commonly accepted principles of safety in hunting and 
 handling common hunting firearms and identification of various 
 species of wild mammals and birds by sight and other unique 
 characteristics. 

    Subd. 2.    Administration, supervision, and enforcement. 
  (a) The commissioner shall appoint a qualified person from 
 the Enforcement Division under civil service rules as supervisor 
 of hunting safety and prescribe the duties and responsibilities 
 of the position.  The commissioner shall determine and provide 
 the Enforcement Division with the necessary personnel for this 
 section.  

    (b) The commissioner may appoint one or more county 
 directors of hunting safety in each county.  An appointed county 
 director is responsible to the Enforcement Division.  The 
 Enforcement Division may appoint instructors necessary for this 
 section.  County directors and instructors shall serve on a 
 voluntary basis without compensation.  The Enforcement Division 
 must supply the materials necessary for the course.  School 
 districts may cooperate with the commissioner and volunteer 
 instructors to provide space for the classroom portion of the 
 training.  

    Subd. 3.    Liability insurance.  The commissioner shall 
 obtain insurance to cover all liability incurred by the county 
 directors and instructors for bodily injury, death, and property 
 damage in the performance of their duties under this section.  

    Subd. 4.    Student fee.  To defray the expense of the 
 course, the Enforcement Division shall collect a fee from each 
 person that takes the firearm safety course.  The commissioner 
 shall establish a fee that neither significantly overrecovers 
 nor underrecovers costs, including overhead costs, involved in 
 providing the services.  The fee is not subject to the 
 rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not 
 apply.  The fees shall be deposited in the game and fish fund 
 and the amount thereof is appropriated annually to the 
 Enforcement Division of the Department of Natural Resources for 
 the administration of the program.  In addition to the fee 
 established by the commissioner, instructors may charge each 
 person up to the established fee amount for class materials and 
 expenses. 

    Subd. 5.    Firearms safety certificate.  The 
 commissioner shall issue a firearms safety certificate to a 
 person that satisfactorily completes the required course of 
 instruction.  A certificate may not be issued to a person under 
 age 12.  A person that is age 11 may take the firearms safety 
 course and may receive a firearms safety certificate at age 12.  
 The form and content of the firearms safety certificate shall be 
 prescribed by the commissioner.  

    Subd. 6.    Provisional certificate for persons with 
 mental retardation or a related condition.  Upon the 
 recommendation of a course instructor, the commissioner may 
 issue a provisional firearms safety certificate to a person who 
 satisfactorily completes the classroom portion of the firearms 
 safety course but is unable to pass the written or an alternate 
 format exam portion of the course because of mental retardation 
 or a related condition as defined in section 97B.1055, 
 subdivision 1.  The certificate is valid only when used 
 according to section 97B.1055. 

    HIST: 1986 c 386 art 2 s 4; 1989 c 45 s 1; 2000 c 473 s 6; 
 2000 c 495 s 36,37