State Rep. Haugh Introduces Bills to Improve Michigan Fireworks Safety Act

Bill grants local control over fireworks ordinances

LANSING — State Representative Harold L. Haugh (D-Roseville) introduced House Bill 4743 and 4744 today which will make changes to the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act to provide additional local control, more reasonable time limits on usage and to ensure firefighters are receiving the funds necessary for proper training in accordance with the intended purpose of the act.

“After listening to constituents and meeting with all interested stakeholders, I believe that leaving the fireworks ordinance decisions up to the local units of government is the best course of action,” said Haugh.

The legislation will make the following improvements to the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act:

• Establishes set hourly parameters and more flexibility at the local level for the discharge or use of consumer grade fireworks via local opt-in. More specifically, local units of government still retain full control over the 335 days they currently have. On the days of, day before, and day after a national holiday (30 days), local units of government may enact an ordinance prohibiting the use of consumer grade fireworks from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. and could also enact an ordinance expanding the hours of usage but not decreasing them on the 30 days.

• Ensure that 100 percent of the Fireworks Safety Fee be distributed to the Firefighter Training Council for training purposes and allow local units of government to carry out inspections of consumer-grade firework facilities;

• Require retail facilities to display a sign informing customers where to find a copy of state law and to contact their local unit of government for local ordinances;

• Require retailers to submit their fireworks safety fees at the same time as their sales tax payments; and

• Eliminate the sunset on the application fees for permanent structures and tents, keeping them at current levels.

• Address bad actors who try to skirt paying their sales tax and fireworks safety fee yet try to set up shop in a different manner the next year by providing Treasury the authority over the “collection of all past due money” owed to the state or state departments.

“This bill addresses many concerns raised about the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act, but most importantly, it restores the original integrity of the act by guaranteeing all of the fireworks safety fees go towards fire safety, training and inspections,” continued Haugh. “I am confident that this bill will get broad support once it is taken up by the full House.”