Council committee defers fireworks bill — for now
Until police and fire officials work out a program for Oahu residents to dispose of leftover or hoarded fireworks, officials are asking that people hang on to their pyrotechnics — even though they are illegal.
A bill allowing Oahu residents to once again set off sparklers and other novelty fireworks legally to ring New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July was deferred by the City Council Public Safety and Economic Development Committee Tuesday due to technical reasons.
Council Public Safety Chairwoman Carol Fukunaga said she expects discussion on the bill to continue at next month’s committee meeting after language concerns with the bill are addressed.
Bill 5, introduced by Council members Ikaika Anderson and Ann Kobayashi, allows Oahu adults to buy a limited amount of sparklers and other novelty fireworks if they obtain $25 permits from the city.
As with the existing permits governing common firecrackers, there would be no limit to the number of permits purchased.
Sparklers, fountains and other novelties have been banned since the 2012 New Year’s celebration.
