Five of seven fireworks bills introduced by the state House of Representatives this session cleared their initial committee hurdle, with amendments, while two were shelved.
The bills were heard Feb. 4 by the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce chaired by Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson, an Oahu Democrat.
“I firmly believe, as I think many of my colleagues do, that the fireworks problem is a multifaceted problem and therefore probably warrants taking a look at several different solutions, rather than just expecting that there’s one panacea that’s going to solve the entire issue — which is why today you see multiple different ways to potentially tackle illegal fireworks.” Johanson said at the outset of the hearing.
Johanson said it was his intention “to have a full and robust discussion on how we offer some relief to our constituents, who express — year after year after year — that they are definitely in need of some help and assistance.”
The five bills that remain alive are:
• House Bill 1695: Introduced by Rep. Henry Aquino, an Oahu Democrat, the bill would increase the maximum fine that may be assessed for certain fireworks-related violations from $2,000 to $5,000.
Among those submitting testimony in support of the measure were Hawaii County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd, Honolulu Fire Chief Sheldon Hao, Maui Fire Chief Bradford Ventura and the Hawaii State Fire Council.
• House Bill 1696: Introduced by Aquino, the bill would increase the permit fee for a fireworks display by a licensed pyrotechnician from $110, the fee for the past 15 years, to $300.
Among those submitting testimony in support of the measure were Todd, Hao, Ventura and the Hawaii State Fire Council, all saying the price to administer the permits has gone up.
Alicia Maluafiti of the nonprofit animal welfare group Poi Dogs &Popoki said in video testimony the proposed fee hike to $300 isn’t enough.
“Let’s be honest, these pyrotechnic professionals, $300? What’s that? That’s nothing,” Maluafiti said. “How about a thousand? … We need money, we want to incent(ivize) people to report (illegal fireworks). I don’t think $1,000 is too much to ask.”
Maluafiti said it’s also time to raise the fees for firecracker permits from $25 to $100.
“Here’s what I know for sure,” she said. “The guys that are buying the firecrackers … those same homes are putting up the illegals. They got money flowing to buy the illegal stuff. Why not increase the fireworks permit … to fund all these initiatives we’ve been talking about?”
• House Bill 2273: Introduced by Johanson and others, the measure would specify that certain violations of the Fireworks Control Law shall be considered a violation of noise control rules under the Hawaii noise pollution laws, punishable by civil penalties and subject to citations under those respective laws.
Among the supporters of the measure is the Hawaiian Humane Society.
• House Bill 2275: Introduced by Johanson and others, the bill would enable law enforcers to write citations, like traffic tickets, for infractions of fireworks law.
Among those submitting testimony in support of the measure are the Hawaiian Humane Society, Todd, Hao, Ventura and the Hawaii State Fire Council.
• House Bill 1969: Introduced by former Rep. Ty Cullen, an Oahu Democrat, with Hawaii Island Rep. David Tarnas among the co-introducers, the bill would require counties to offer a monetary reward to individuals who report the illegal use of fireworks and to pay the reward under certain conditions.
In video testimony, Stephanie Kendrick of the Hawaiian Humane Society called illegal fireworks “a perpetual issue in our community.”
“This has really gone beyond being a seasonal issue,” Kendrick said. “We used to be able to educate the community. We used to be able to help the community prepare for keeping their pets safe at certain times of the year. That’s not possible anymore because it never stops. These things are going off every day in neighborhoods across the state.”
Also submittting testimony in support of the measure were Todd, Hao, Ventura and the Hawaii State Fire Council.
All the bills that passed were by a 10-0 vote with one representative excused. Tarnas and Big Island Rep. Richard Onishi voted yes on all legislation that passed, while Onishi’s yes vote on HB 1969 was with reservations.
The bills that passed have also been referred to the Finance Committee, which hasn’t yet scheduled a hearing on them.
The bills the committee recommended be deferred are:
• House Bill 2502: Introduced by Rep. Angus McKelvey, a Maui Democrat, with Hawaii Island Reps. Greggor Ilagan and Nicole Lowen among co-introducers, the bill would allow private citizens to sue others for certain violations or aiding or abetting certain violations of the Fireworks Control Law, with statutory damages.
• House Bill 1604: Introduced by Rep. John Mizuno, an Oahu Democrat, with Hawaii Island Reps. Ilagan, Lowen, Tarnas and Jeanne Kapela among co-introducers, the bill would establish an illegal fireworks task force within the Department of the Attorney General to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to stop the importation of illegal fireworks and explosives into the state.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.