STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2683

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3343

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3343 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREWORKS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require:

(1) Importers of fireworks to obtain a license from the Harbors Division of the Department of Transportation; and

(2) The Harbor Division of the Department of Transportation to report annually to the Legislature regarding licenses issued.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiian Humane Society and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and Honolulu Fire Department.

Your Committees find that while illegal fireworks usage in Hawaii is a problem, the shipments of illegal fireworks by importers without fireworks permits enable this issue. This measure requires importers of fireworks to obtain a license to import aerial devices, display fireworks, articles pyrotechnic, or consumer fireworks.

Your Committees note that they did not receive clarification from the Department of Transportation Harbors Division on whether additional resources are needed for the Division to carry out the purposes of this measure. Your Committees request that the Harbors Division notify your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection if additional resources are necessary.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting section 5 to retain license fees payable to the counties;

(2) Clarifying that the applicable county will share joint jurisdiction over fireworks inspections with the Harbors Division; and

(3) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3343, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3343, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

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

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair