STAND. COM. REP. NO. 291

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 662

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 662 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREWORKS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require shippers to notify the fire chief from where and 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 Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the State Fire Council, Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii County Fire Department, Maui County Fire Department, and one individual.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Transportation that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 662 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Transportation,

____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair