JEFFERSON CO., Pa. – Fireworks enthusiasts will have more ammunition in their arsenal this year thanks to a new Pennsylvania law.
Signed into effect late last year, the new law allows Pennsylvania residents to buy and use any fireworks that comply with federal requirements for consumers.
House Bill 542, signed into law on October 30, 2017, repealed and replaced the Fireworks Act of 1939. The law was enacted as part of a budget package intended to cut a deficit and includes a new 12 percent tax on the purchase of fireworks. The new 12 percent tax is levied in addition to the sales and use tax already imposed on such sales, leaving consumers paying a total of 18 percent in taxes on the purchase of fireworks in Pennsylvania.
According to information available on the Pennsylvania State Police website, consumers 18 years of age or older can now purchase and use “Class C” or “consumer-grade” fireworks including firecrackers, Roman Candles, bottle rockets, and similar fireworks that contain a maximum of 50 milligrams of explosive material at any licensed facility, including temporary ones. The expansion includes those fireworks that were previously only available to out-of-state residents.
Professionals with a permit from the municipality where the display will take place are still the only ones permitted to purchase “display fireworks,” which are classified as including salutes that contain more than two grains or 130 milligrams of explosive materials, and professional-grade aerial shells containing more than 60 grams of pyrotechnic compositions.
The change in state law makes Pennsylvania one of several states loosening up fireworks laws.
According to the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA), West Virginia loosened their laws to allow the full line of consumer fireworks in 2016, and Iowa did the same in 2017.
The APA also noted that consumption of fireworks in the United State has skyrocketed over the last 40 years, going from 29 million pounds consumed in 1976 to over 268.4 million pounds in 2016. During the same time period, injuries from fireworks have greatly declined, which they attribute primarily to safety education efforts and the improved quality of the products.
Clif Rizer, of Rizer Fireworks based in Marienville, Pa., is waiting to see how the change in the law will affect the sales of fireworks in our area.
“I’d be able to tell you better if it would quit raining every two days, and that hinders things a bit,” Rizer said. “Business seems like it’s running better than last year, but we can’t really say until we get more results in.”
Christina Rizer also added, “We are making sure people are provided with safety information so they can operate things safely. We haven’t had a lot of questions about the new items being offered. I think most people have had or tried something before from other sources. We are also trying to give people information about the new law. Since it passed in October, it wasn’t really relevant at the time.”
Though a full range of consumer fireworks are now available to Pennsylvania residents, those wishing to set off their own display should also be mindful of local ordinances that may be relevant.
exploreJeffersonPA.com spoke to Pennsylvania State Police Troop C Public Information Officer Trooper Chewning and Chief Matt Conrad of the Punxsutawney Police Department, who both advised people to check their municipality’s ordinances before setting off any fireworks.
“Check and make sure you know what your municipality permits,” Chewning said.
“People need to be aware that the state laws have changed, but local borough ordinances have not changed,” Conrad said. “Just because you can buy fireworks doesn’t mean you can use them in your municipality.”
Both Chewning and Conrad also wanted to remind people to be responsible about the use of fireworks.
“Alcohol and fireworks don’t mix,” Conrad said. “That’s usually the big problem. People are drinking and they get careless. Also, make sure kids always have adult supervision, even with sparklers, and keep in mind that bug spray is very flammable.”
“Just remember, even the smallest items can cause serious injury if they’re not handled in the right way,” Chewning added. “Even a sparkler can cause severe burns and can’t be discarded while it is still hot.”
Some other tips Chewning offered include:
The Pennsylvania State Police website also lists the following restrictions on where fireworks can be used:
“Just being careful is the biggest thing,” Chewning said. “Everyone wants to enjoy the holiday, and we don’t want anyone to be injured. When in doubt, don’t do it.”
The complete version of the new law can be viewed here.
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