STAND. COM. REP. NO.  242

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 397

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred H.B. No. 397 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREWORKS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to ban the sale, use, and possession of all fireworks in counties with populations of more than 500,000.

 

     The Honolulu Police Department, American Lung Association in Hawaii, and many concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The State Fire Council, Kauai Fire Department, Honolulu Fire Department, and Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu supported the intent of this measure.  Legislative Information Services of Hawaii opposed this bill.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by removing its substance and replacing it with contents that:

 

     (1)  Requires fireworks retailers to submit an annual report on the volume and type of consumer fireworks sold;

 

     (2)  Establishes a Consumer Fireworks Surcharge Tax and the Consumer Fireworks Surcharge Special Fund; and

 

     (3)  Requires the Department of Health to conduct a study to determine the health effects of consumer fireworks on children under the age of 18.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 397, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 397, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

FAYE HANOHANO, Chair