THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2132 |
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to fireworks.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the use of consumer fireworks causes fires and burn injuries, mostly to children. Fireworks produce excessive smoke that makes breathing difficult. Loud fireworks noise traumatizes many residents, including war veterans, as well as pets. With the increase in fireworks-related calls, public safety agencies are strained to maintain adequate response levels for other critical emergencies. The legislature further finds that people in the State and its communities deserve to live in peace and security, without the public safety risk and disruptive impact of consumer fireworks.
The purpose of this Act is to limit the use of consumer fireworks by:
(1) Authorizing the sale and use of consumer fireworks only for cultural purposes; and
(2) Discontinuing the authorization of the non-cultural use of consumer fireworks on the three designated holidays, namely New Year's Eve, the Fourth of July, and Chinese New Year's Day.
This Act is not intended to prohibit the use of display fireworks, articles pyrotechnic, and aerial devices by licensed professionals.
SECTION 2. Section 132D-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definitions of "consumer fireworks" and "cultural" to read as follows:
"Consumer fireworks" [means]:
(1) Means any fireworks designed primarily
for retail sale to the public [during authorized dates and times,] that
produces visible or audible effects by combustion, and that is designed to remain on or near the ground and, while stationary
or spinning rapidly on or near the ground, emits smoke, a shower of colored sparks,
whistling effects, flitter sparks, or balls of colored sparks, and includes
combination items that contain one or more of these effects. "Consumer fireworks" shall comply
with the construction, chemical composition, and labeling regulations of the
United States Consumer Product Safety Commission as set forth in Title 16 Code
of Federal Regulations and fireworks classified as UN0336 and UN0337 by the
United States Department of Transportation as set forth in Title 49 Code of
Federal Regulations[. "Consumer
fireworks" include]; and
(2) Include
firework items commonly known as firecrackers that are single paper cylinders
not exceeding one and one-half inches in length excluding the fuse and one-quarter
of an inch in diameter and contain a charge of not
more than fifty milligrams of pyrotechnic composition, snakes, sparklers,
fountains, and cylindrical or cone fountains that emit effects up to a height
not greater than twelve feet above the ground, illuminating torches, bamboo
cannons, whistles, toy smoke devices, wheels, and ground spinners that when
ignited remain within a circle with a radius of twelve feet as measured from
the point where the item was placed and ignited, novelty or trick items,
combination items, and other fireworks of like construction that are designed
to produce the same or similar effects.
"Cultural" means relating to the
arts, customs, traditions, mores, and history of all of the various ethnic
groups of Hawaii[.] and includes religious events."
SECTION 3. Section 132D-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§132D-3 [Permissible uses] Use of consumer fireworks[.]; prohibition;
exception for cultural events. [Consumer fireworks may be] It shall be unlawful for any person to set
off, [ignited, discharged,] ignite, discharge, or otherwise [caused]
cause to explode any consumer fireworks within the State [only:
(1) From
9:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve to 1:00 a.m. on New Year's Day; from 7:00 a.m. to
7:00 p.m. on Chinese New Year's Day; and from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the
Fourth of July; or
(2) From],
except during cultural events from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. as allowed by
permit pursuant to section 132D-10 [if the proposed cultural use is to occur
at any time other than during the periods prescribed in paragraph (1)];
provided that the purchase of not more than five thousand individual consumer fireworks commonly known as firecrackers shall be allowed under each permit."
SECTION 4. Section 132D-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§132D-5 General prohibitions.
(a) [It] In addition to
the prohibition under section 132D-3, it shall be unlawful for any person [without
a permit issued under section 132D-10 by a county fire department] to:
(1) Remove
or extract the pyrotechnic contents from any fireworks;
(2) Throw
any ignited fireworks:
(A) From,
at, or into a vehicle;
(B) At
a person or an animal; and
(C) From
above the first floor of any building; or
(3) Set
off, ignite, discharge, or otherwise cause to explode any fireworks:
(A) Above
the first floor of any building;
(B) In
any vehicle;
[(C) At any time not within the periods for use
prescribed in section 132D-3;
(D)]
(C) Within one thousand feet of
any operating hospital, licensed convalescent home, licensed home for the
elderly, zoo, licensed animal shelter, or licensed animal hospital;
[(E)] (D) In any school building, or on any school
grounds and yards without first obtaining authorization from appropriate school
officials;
[(F)] (E) On any highway, alley, street, sidewalk, or
other public way; in any park; on any public beach; in any officially
designated forest or wildlife preserve; within fifty feet of a canefield; or
within one thousand feet of any building used for public worship during the
periods when services are held; and
[(G)] (F) Within five hundred feet of any hotel.
(b) [It] Except for use at cultural events by permit pursuant to section
132D-10, it shall be unlawful to purchase or
possess consumer fireworks [more than five calendar days before the time
periods for permissible use under section 132D-3.] within the State.
(c) [It]
Except for use at cultural events by permit pursuant to section
132D-10, it shall
be unlawful to offer, expose for sale, sell, or furnish consumer
fireworks [after 12:01 a.m. on New Year's Day, 6:00 p.m. on Chinese New
Year's Day, and 8:00 p.m. on the Fourth of July.] to any person within the
State."
SECTION 5. Section 132D-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
"(d) It shall be unlawful for any licensee, other
than a wholesaler who is selling or transferring fireworks or articles
pyrotechnic to a licensed retailer, to sell or offer to sell, exchange for
consideration, give, transfer, or donate any fireworks or articles pyrotechnic
at any time to any person who does not present a permit duly issued as required
by section 132D-10 or 132D-16. The
permit shall be signed by the seller or transferor at the time of sale or
transfer of the fireworks or articles pyrotechnic, and the seller or transferor
shall indicate on the permit the amount and type of fireworks or articles
pyrotechnic sold or transferred. No
person shall sell or deliver fireworks to any permittee in any amount in excess
of the amount specified in the permit, less the amount shown on the permit to
have been previously purchased; provided that no fireworks shall be sold to a
permittee holding a permit issued for purposes of section 132D-3, more than
five calendar days before the applicable [time period under section 132D-3.]
cultural event."
SECTION 6. Section 132D-10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§132D-10 Permits[.] for the purchase and use
of fireworks. A permit shall be required for the purchase
and use of:
(1) Any
consumer fireworks [commonly known as firecrackers upon payment of a fee of]
for cultural events, the fee for which shall be $25[;] per
permit; and
(2) Any
aerial devices, display fireworks, or articles pyrotechnic for the purposes of
section 132D-16 [upon payment of a fee of], the fee for which shall be
$110[; and
(3) Any
consumer fireworks for the purposes of section 132D-5 or for cultural uses that
occur at any time other than during the periods prescribed in section 132D-3(1)
upon a payment of a fee of $25.] per permit."
SECTION 7. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 8. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY: |
_____________________________ |
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By Request |
Report Title:
State Fire Council Package; Fireworks; Cultural Events; Prohibitions; Exceptions
Description:
Imposes a statewide limitation on consumer fireworks, except by permit for cultural events.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.