Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1833, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize counties with a population of less than 500,000 to issue fireworks permits through authorized vendors.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Fire Council, the Honolulu Fire Department, the County of Hawaii Fire Department, Legislative Information Services of Hawaii, Pacific Fireworks Kona, Pacific Fireworks Waimea, Pahoa Cash and Carry, Pinky's, Sure Save Supermarket, Ltd., T.H.Y. & Associates, Inc., T. Kaneshiro Store, Inc., and the Hawaii Food Industry Association.

Your Committee finds that this measure is intended to facilitate the purchase of fireworks by making it more convenient to obtain a permit and purchase fireworks at the same location. This measure also relieves the administrative burden placed on the counties and facilitates the fire departments in accounting for retailer fireworks inventories and sales.

The State Fire Council stated that it shares the Committee's concern that allowing vendors to sell permits and fireworks may lead to abuses and noted that it would be accountable for the implementation of the measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure in accordance with the testimony of the Honolulu Fire Department and the State Fire Council by removing subsection (b) of the measure so that the provisions of this measure will apply to all counties.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1833, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1833, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.