Less than a year after they finally made the use of fireworks legal in Georgia, lawmakers are considering reining in where and when the sparkly combustibles can be used.
Rep. Paul Battles, R-Cartersville, has filed House Bill 727 to limit the time and place fireworks may be used. Under current law, created during the 2015 legislative session, Georgians can purchase and explode consumer fireworks any day between 10 a.m. and midnight and until 2 a.m. on Jan. 1, July 3, July 4 and Dec. 31.
The only places currently off limits for fireworks are within 100 yards of a nuclear power plant or gas station.
Battles’ bill would add: electric plants, water and wastewater treatment plants, hospitals, nursing home, other health care facilities, property owned or operated for counties and cities, and at public gatherings “where, in the discretion of a law enforcement agency or local fire department” the use of fireworks “is determined not to be reasonable in the interest of public safety.”
Also, Battles’ bill makes it illegal to drink and explode — that is, no one under the influence of alcohol or drugs may use fireworks.
It is the second measure filed this session to limit the use of fireworks.
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