The Georgia House on Monday voted to place new limits on the use of fireworks in the state, just a year after making it legal to fire them off at all.
The House voted 165-8 to send House Bill 727 to the Senate. That body last week passed its own version of fireworks reform.
HB 727, sponsored by Rep. Paul Battles, R-Cartersville, would reduce by an hour when fireworks can be used on Jan. 1 and over the Fourth of July. Instead of a 2 a.m. cut-off, the bill would make it illegal to use fireworks after 1 a.m. The rest of the year Georgians would have to stop firing off the combustibles after 10 p.m., instead of midnight, as current law allows.
Also, it would become illegal to use fireworks within the right of way of any road, street, highway or railroad, or within 100 yards of a hospital, nursing home, electric substation or prison.
Like HB 727, Senate Bill 369 would set new limits on the time fireworks could be ignited. Both would give local authorities more control over regulating fireworks in their communities.
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