Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 895 - Damages, liability, and miscellaneous provisions regarding actions in courts.
895.527 - Sport shooting range activities; limitations on liability and restrictions on operation.

895.527 Sport shooting range activities; limitations on liability and restrictions on operation.
(1) In this section, “sport shooting range" means an area designed and operated for the use and discharge of firearms.
(2) A person who owns or operates a sport shooting range is immune from civil liability related to noise resulting from the operation of the sport shooting range.
(3) A person who owns or operates a sport shooting range is not subject to an action for nuisance or to state or local zoning conditions related to noise. If a sport shooting range, on the date it was established, was a lawful or legal nonconforming use under any state law or local ordinance related to its use that was in effect on that date, the sport shooting range continues to be subject to the state laws and local ordinances related to its use that were in effect on the date it was established. No court may enjoin or restrain the operation or use of a sport shooting range on the basis of noise or on the basis of noncompliance with a state law or local ordinance related to its operation or use that was enacted after the date that the sport shooting range was established if the sport shooting range, on the date it was established, was a lawful or legal nonconforming operation or use under any state law or local ordinance related to its operation or use that was in effect on that date.
(4) Any sport shooting range that exists on July 16, 2013, may continue to operate as a sport shooting range at that location notwithstanding any zoning ordinance enacted under s. 59.69, 59.692, 60.61, 60.62, 61.35 or 62.23 (7), if the sport shooting range is a lawful use or a legal nonconforming use under any zoning ordinance enacted under s. 59.69, 59.692, 60.61, 60.62, 61.35 or 62.23 (7) that is in effect on July 16, 2013. The operation of the sport shooting range continues to be a lawful use or legal nonconforming use notwithstanding any expansion of, or enhancement or improvement to, the sport shooting range.
(5) Any sport shooting range that exists on June 18, 1998, may continue to operate as a sport shooting range at that location notwithstanding all of the following:
(a) Section 167.30 (1), 941.20 (1) (d) or 948.605 or any rule promulgated under those sections regulating or prohibiting the discharge of firearms.
(b) Section 66.0409 (3) (b) or any ordinance or resolution.
(c) Any zoning ordinance that is enacted, or resolution that is adopted, under s. 59.69, 60.61, 60.62, 61.35 or 62.23 (7) that is related to noise.
(6) A city, village town or county may regulate the hours between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. that an outdoor sport shooting range may operate, except that such a regulation may not apply to a law enforcement officer as defined in s. 165.85 (2) (c), a member of the U.S. armed forces or a private security person as defined in s. 440.26 (1m) who meets all of the requirements under s. 167.31 (4) (a) 4.
(7) A person who is shooting in the customary or a generally acceptable manner at a sport shooting range between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. is presumed to not be engaging in disorderly conduct merely because of the noise caused by the shooting.
(8) An owner or operator of a sport shooting range, or an employee, agent, contractor, customer, or insurer of the owner or operator of a sport shooting range, and any user of a sport shooting range is immune from civil liability in any action commenced by the state or its political subdivisions, or by a special purpose district, related to the use, release, placement, deposition, or accumulation of any projectiles on or under the sport shooting range or other contiguous real property over which the owner or operator of a sport shooting range has an easement, leasehold, or other legal right to use.
(9) An owner, operator, officer, or board member of a sport shooting range, and any employee or volunteer acting on behalf of the owner or operator who provided recommendations regarding the operation of a sport shooting range, are immune from any civil action based solely on the negligent action of a user of the sport shooting range.
(10) This section does not impair or diminish the private property rights of owners of property adjoining a sport shooting range.
History: 1997 a. 242; 2001 a. 30; 2005 a. 155; 2009 a. 371; 2011 a. 35; 2013 a. 35, 202; 2021 a. 238 s. 44.
This section does not prohibit the application of a zoning ordinance to a sport shooting range unless the range was a lawful use under the ordinance as of June 18, 1998. Town of Avon v. Oliver, 2002 WI App 97, 253 Wis. 2d 647, 644 N.W.2d 260, 01-1851.
The Exculpatory Contract and Public Policy. Anzivino. 102 MLR 747 (2019).

Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations

Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations

Chapter 895 - Damages, liability, and miscellaneous provisions regarding actions in courts.

895.01 - What actions survive; actions not to abate.

895.02 - Measure of damages against personal representative.

895.03 - Recovery for death by wrongful act.

895.031 - Recovery from estate of wrongdoer.

895.035 - Parental liability for acts of minor child.

895.037 - Abortions on or for a minor without parental consent or judicial waiver.

895.038 - Partial-birth abortions; liability.

895.04 - Plaintiff in wrongful death action.

895.043 - Punitive damages.

895.044 - Damages for maintaining certain claims and counterclaims.

895.045 - Contributory negligence.

895.046 - Remedies against manufacturers, distributors, sellers, and promoters of products.

895.047 - Product liability.

895.048 - Recovery by auto or motorboat owner limited.

895.049 - Recovery by a person who fails to use protective headgear while operating certain motor vehicles.

895.05 - Damages in actions for libel.

895.052 - Defamation by radio and television.

895.055 - Gaming contracts void.

895.056 - Recovery of money wagered.

895.057 - Action against judicial officer for loss caused by misconduct.

895.06 - Recovery of divisible personalty.

895.065 - Radioactive waste emergencies.

895.07 - Claims against contractors and suppliers.

895.08 - Sport shooting ranges; actions related to safety.

895.09 - Scrap metal or plastic bulk merchandise container theft; civil liability.

895.10 - Tort actions in residential real estate transactions.

895.14 - Tenders of money and property.

895.28 - Remedies not merged.

895.33 - Limitation of surety's liability.

895.34 - Renewal of sureties upon becoming insufficient and effects thereof.

895.345 - Justification of individual sureties.

895.346 - Bail, deposit in lieu of bond.

895.35 - Expenses in actions against municipal and other officers.

895.36 - Process against corporation or limited liability company officer.

895.37 - Abrogation of defenses in employee personal injury actions.

895.375 - Abrogation of defense that contract was champertous.

895.42 - Deposit of undistributed money and property by personal representatives and others.

895.43 - Intentional killing by beneficiary of contract.

895.435 - Intentional killing by beneficiary of certain death benefits.

895.441 - Sexual exploitation by a therapist; action for.

895.442 - Sexual exploitation by a member of the clergy; action for.

895.443 - Physical injury, emotional distress, loss or damage suffered by members of certain groups; action for.

895.444 - Injury caused by criminal gang activity; action for.

895.445 - Damage to certain machines; action for.

895.446 - Property damage or loss caused by crime; action for.

895.447 - Certain agreements to limit or eliminate tort liability void.

895.448 - Safety devices on farm equipment, ordinary negligence.

895.449 - Action for loss caused by failure to pay for gasoline or diesel fuel.

895.45 - Service representatives for adult abusive conduct complainants.

895.453 - Payments of chiropractic services from attorney contingency fees.

895.455 - Limits on recovery by prisoners.

895.457 - Limiting felon's right to damages.

895.46 - State and political subdivisions thereof to pay judgments taken against officers.

895.463 - Zoning ordinances.

895.47 - Indemnification of the Wisconsin State Agencies Building Corporation and the Wisconsin State Public Building Corporation.

895.472 - Indemnification of a financial institution.

895.475 - Exemption from civil liability for furnishing safety inspection or advisory services.

895.476 - Civil liability exemption; exposure to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19.

895.478 - Civil liability exemption; opioid antagonists.

895.48 - Civil liability exemption; emergency medical care.

895.4801 - Immunity for health care providers during COVID-19 emergency.

895.4802 - Civil liability exemption; hazardous materials.

895.4803 - Civil liability exemption; information concerning paternity.

895.481 - Civil liability exemption; equine activities.

895.482 - Civil liability exemption; ski patrol members.

895.483 - Civil liability exemption; regional and local emergency response teams and their sponsoring agencies.

895.484 - Civil liability exemption; entering a vehicle to render assistance.

895.485 - Civil liability exemption; out-of-home care providers and child-placing agencies.

895.486 - Civil immunity exemption; reports of insurance fraud.

895.487 - Civil liability exemption; employment references.

895.488 - Civil liability exemption; owner or person in lawful possession of the premises.

895.489 - Civil liability exemption; tenancy references.

895.492 - Civil liability exemption; certificate of qualification for employment.

895.497 - Civil liability exemption: furnishing safety services relating to child safety restraint systems.

895.501 - Civil liability exemption; credit card reencoders and scanning devices.

895.506 - Civil liability exemption; weight gain and obesity claims.

895.508 - Liability exemption; provision of previously owned eyeglasses.

895.51 - Civil liability exemption: food or emergency household products; emergency medical supplies; donation, sale, or distribution.

895.512 - Civil liability exemption; access to toilet facility.

895.514 - Civil liability exemption; Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan and Authority.

895.515 - Civil liability exemption; equipment or technology donation.

895.517 - Civil liability exemption: solid waste donation or sale.

895.519 - Civil liability exemption; private campgrounds.

895.52 - Recreational activities; limitation of property owners' liability.

895.523 - Recreational activities in a school building or on school grounds; limitation of liability.

895.524 - Participation in an agricultural tourism activity; limitations on civil liability, assumption of risk.

895.525 - Participation in recreational activities; restrictions on civil liability, assumption of risk.

895.526 - Participation in an alpine sport; restrictions on civil liability, assumption of risk.

895.5265 - Civil liability exemption; placement of certain structures in waterways.

895.527 - Sport shooting range activities; limitations on liability and restrictions on operation.

895.528 - Civil liability exemption; placement of markers in waterways.

895.529 - Civil liability limitation; duty of care owed to trespassers.

895.53 - Civil and criminal liability exemption; tests for intoxication.

895.535 - Civil and criminal liability exemption; body cavity search.

895.537 - Liability exemption; sexual assault evidence collection.

895.54 - Liability exemption; notification of release.

895.55 - Liability exemption; oil discharge control.

895.555 - Civil liability exemption; anhydrous ammonia.

895.56 - Liability exemption; handling of petroleum-contaminated soil under contract with the department of transportation.

895.57 - Damages and immunity; unauthorized release of animals.

895.58 - Liability exemption; use of special waste under public works contracts.

895.61 - Asbestos successor corporation; limitation on liability.

895.62 - Use of force in response to unlawful and forcible entry into a dwelling, motor vehicle, or place of business; civil liability immunity.

895.65 - Definitions.

895.66 - Mandatory disclosures.

895.67 - Approval of transfers of structured settlement payment rights.

895.68 - Effects of transfer of structured settlement payment rights.

895.69 - Procedure.

895.70 - General provisions.