05/08/2024 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                 HB 146-REGULATION OF FIREWORKS                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
 [Before the committee for consideration is SCS CSHB 146(STA).]                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:21:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration of CS FOR HOUSE  BILL NO. 146(STA) "An Act relating                                                               
to fireworks; directing the Department  of Public Safety to adopt                                                               
fireworks regulations; and providing for an effective date."                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:22:27 PM                                                                                                                    
LISA PURINTON,  Director, Records and  Identification, Department                                                               
of  Public Safety,  Anchorage,  Alaska, stated  she  is also  the                                                               
department's  legislative   liaison.  She   said  HB   146  would                                                               
modernize statutory restrictions on  consumer fireworks to comply                                                               
with current federal requirements  and industry standards. HB 146                                                               
would  protect   the  public,  remove  compliance   barriers  for                                                               
businesses, and  improve enforcement by the  State Fire Marshal's                                                               
Office.  She  said  the  changes  in HB  146  would  set  minimum                                                               
standards  for  the  sales, storage,  distribution,  and  use  of                                                               
fireworks, addressing the outdated nature of current statutes.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:23:26 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. PURINTON noted  that the current statutes,  AS 18.72, adopted                                                               
in 1972, were severely outdated,  and did not comply with federal                                                               
standards and  industry best practices.  She said the  public was                                                               
at risk  because the statutes did  not meet the standards  set by                                                               
the  US   Consumer  Product   Safety  Commission,   the  American                                                               
Pyrotechnics  Association, the  US Department  of Transportation,                                                               
the  Bureau  of Alcohol,  Tobacco,  Firearms  and Explosives  and                                                               
Title 49 of  the code of federal regulations. She  noted that the                                                               
current outdated statutes included  only 12 different definitions                                                               
for  consumer fireworks  and there  were currently  11 categories                                                               
and well over 40 definitions [for consumer fireworks].                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:24:46 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. PURINTON  summarized that  HB 146's  intent was  to modernize                                                               
the statutes  to reflect current industry  and federal standards,                                                               
ensuring public  safety and compliance.  She noted changes  to HB
 as it moved through the House and the Senate:                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
   • The House version of the bill included a minor change,                                                                     
     modifying "any" to "a" in a section related to buildings                                                                   
     entered by the State Fire Marshal.                                                                                         
   • The Senate version included a committee substitute that:                                                                   
        • significantly altered the scope of HB 146 to provide a                                                                
          stronger statutory foundation for the changes,                                                                        
          ensuring   compliance   with   federal   and   industry                                                               
          standards, and                                                                                                        
        • modified several repealed statutes to make HB 146 more                                                                
          workable and flexible for future regulatory updates.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:26:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN held HB 146 in committee.