Georgia bill would revise fireworks law, limit celebrations


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A Georgia Senate committee voted Monday to scale back provisions of a state law passed last year legalizing fireworks that left some residents complaining about late-night revelry.

The proposed legislation would limit the time fireworks could be exploded during the holidays, restrict where fireworks could be set off and give local authorities more control over regulating the process.

The current law allowing fireworks to be set off until 2 a.m. around the New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July holidays would be revised to set a midnight fireworks curfew July 3-4 and Jan. 1. Georgians would be allowed to set off fireworks on New Year’s Eve until 1 a.m. Jan. 1. And, the midnight fireworks cutoff time for the rest of the year would be moved up to 10 p.m. Any times outside those specifically mentioned in the bill would be handled by local authorities.

The new times included in Senate Bill 369 are more "reasonable" in light of complaints heard last year, said state Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, who is sponsoring the cleanup legislation and was a co-sponsor of last year's fireworks bill that made it legal to sell, buy and possess many types of fireworks in the state.

After the law took effect July 1, some state lawmakers called for change after hearing complaints from residents about people shooting fireworks into the early-morning hours.

Mullis’ bill would also put more restrictions on where fireworks could be used. The existing law bars the use of fireworks near gas stations and nuclear plants. Under the proposal, water treatment plants and public landing areas for helicopters would be added to the list. Other areas, including parks, would require special use permits.

The bill would also make it illegal to shoot fireworks when under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A similar fireworks bill was filed in the Georgia House.

Last week, the Senate Public Safety Committee also passed accompanying legislation, Senate Bill 350, that would dedicate a 5 percent sales tax on fireworks to go toward the state's trauma care network, training and equipment for Georgia firefighters, and local governments where the fireworks are sold to be used for public safety purposes.