STAND. COM. REP. NO. 222

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1059

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1059 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIREWORKS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish an illegal fireworks task force to develop a plan and make recommendations to the Legislature to stop the importation of illegal fireworks and explosives into Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Fire Council; Kauai Fire Department; Legislative Information Services of Hawaii; American Lung Association; and Pinky's 5 Eight.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure will organize various agencies to work collaboratively on solutions to better enforce the growing distribution and use of illegal fireworks in our communities.  Each year, the use of illegal fireworks, namely aerials by unlicensed, nonprofessional persons, continues to increase.  These illegal fireworks pose a fire and life safety risk and danger to the public.  Enhanced enforcement strategies among state, county, and federal agencies are essential to address the problem.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by expanding the task force membership to include the following entities:  Department of Agriculture; Consumer Product Safety Commission; Federal Aviation Administration; Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and Federal Customs Service.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1059, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1059, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair