2006 Minnesota Statutes

97B.015 FIREARMS SAFETY AND WILDLIFE IDENTIFICATION COURSE.
    Subdivision 1. Establishment. The commissioner shall establish a statewide course in the
safe use of firearms and identification of wild mammals and birds. A course may be held in a
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 Enforcement Division may appoint instructors necessary for this section. 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 person
must be at least age 11 to take the firearms safety course and may receive a firearms safety
certificate, but the certificate is not valid for hunting until the person reaches age 12. A person who
is age 11 and has a firearms safety certificate may purchase a deer, bear, turkey, or prairie chicken
license that will become valid when the person reaches age 12. A firearms safety certificate
issued to a person under age 12 by another state as provided in section 97B.020 is not valid for
hunting in Minnesota until the person reaches age 12. The form and content of the firearms safety
certificate shall be prescribed by the commissioner.
    Subd. 6. Provisional certificate for persons with developmental disability. 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 developmental disability as defined in section 97B.1055, subdivision 1. The certificate is valid
only when used according to section 97B.1055.
    Subd. 7. Fee for duplicate certificate. The commissioner shall collect a fee, to include
a $1 issuing fee for licensing agents, for issuing a duplicate firearms safety certificate. The
commissioner shall establish a fee that neither significantly overrecovers nor underrecovers
costs, including overhead costs, involved in providing the service. The fee is not subject to the
rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not apply. The commissioner may
establish the fee notwithstanding section 16A.1283. The duplicate certificate fees, except for the
issuing fee for licensing agents under this subdivision, shall be deposited in the game and fish
fund and, except for the electronic licensing system commission established by the commissioner
under section 84.027, subdivision 15, and issuing fees collected by the commissioner, are
appropriated annually to the Enforcement Division of the Department of Natural Resources for
the administration of the firearm safety course program.
History: 1986 c 386 art 2 s 4; 1989 c 45 s 1; 2000 c 473 s 6; 2000 c 495 s 36,37; 2004 c 215
s 18; 2004 c 221 s 41; 2005 c 56 s 1; 2005 c 146 s 23-25; 1Sp2005 c 1 art 2 s 106