STAND. COM. REP. NO. 616

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 662

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 662 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREWORKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require shippers to notify the county fire chief as to where fireworks shipments imported into the State or between counties are to be distributed;

     (2)  Define the term "redistribution" to clarify shipment notification requirements;

     (3)  Create two exceptions to the fireworks prohibitions for film or movie productions and for those authorized to dispose of or test consumer fireworks; and

     (4)  Clarify that labels on certain fireworks shall be at least nine square inches.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Maui County Fire Department, Hawaii County Fire Department, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that transporting fireworks to, from, and within the State requires the use of multiple methods of interstate and intrastate transportation.  To ensure the health and safety of the community and the State's first responders, the importation of fireworks shipments must be thoroughly accounted for and reported.  However, under the existing law, there are no notification requirements for those transporting fireworks.  This measure is therefore necessary to clarify shippers' responsibilities and notification requirements and authorize the use of fireworks in certain circumstances.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that shippers are required to notify the fire chief of a destination county prior to shipment as to where fireworks shipments imported into the State or between counties are to be distributed and from where they are to be distributed;

     (2)  Clarifying that one of the exceptions to the fireworks prohibitions is for film or movie productions with a valid permit issued by a county fire department; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 662, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 662, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair