CALDWELL APPROVES NEW FIREWORKS RESTRICTIONS

News Release from City and County of Honolulu

(Tues., Oct. 5, 2010)—Acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell today signed into law Bill 34, which amends the City Fire Code to prohibit the possession, sale and use of consumer fireworks, with permitted exceptions for small firecrackers on certain holidays and for cultural events.

“Our goal is to better protect public safety by reducing the risks of fire and injury that fireworks can present,” Caldwell said following a ceremony at Honolulu Fire Department headquarters. “Firecrackers will still be allowed for holiday celebrations and other traditional uses, but there will be new and reasonable restrictions against other fireworks.”

Bill 34 will take effect on Jan. 2, 2011, and prohibits consumer fireworks such as sparklers, fountains, snakes, cones, torches, ground spinners, whistles and smoke devices.

The bill also prohibits most firecrackers, except by permit for specific days or uses, by adults only. The permit fee is $25.

Permitted firecrackers must be non-aerial and no larger than one and one half inches in length excluding the fuse and one-quarter inch in diameter containing not more than 50 milligrams of pyrotechnic composition. Penalties for violations include fines of $200 to $1,000, and/or up to 30 days in jail.

Permits will allow the use of up to 5,000 permitted firecrackers from 9 pm on New Year’s Eve to 1 am on New Year’s Day; from 7 am to 7 pm on Chinese New Year’s Day; or from 1 pm to 9 pm on the Fourth of July.

Permits for cultural uses will allow the use of permitted firecrackers from 9 am to 9 pm on the day of the requested use. Cultural uses include, but are not limited to, births, deaths, weddings, grand openings, blessings and anniversaries.

The Honolulu City Council approved Bill 34 on Sept. 22, 2010 by a vote of 7 to 2, with council members Romy Cachola and Rod Tam in opposition.

Bill 34 is available at LINK .

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