05/09/2024 05:15 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                 HB 146-REGULATION OF FIREWORKS                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
6:11:32 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."                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
6:12:02 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened  public testimony on HB  146; finding none,                                                               
he closed public testimony.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
6:12:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN stated there was a proposed committee substitute.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
6:12:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited a motion.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
6:12:30 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON   moved  to  adopt  the   Senate  committee                                                               
substitute  (SCS) for  CSHB 146,  work order  33-GH1356\U as  the                                                               
working document.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
6:12:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN   objected  for   purposes  of   explanation  and                                                               
requested  an  overview  of  the   committee  substitute  by  Ms.                                                               
Purinton.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
6:12:51 PM                                                                                                                    
LISA   PURINTON,  Director,   Division  of   Statewide  Services,                                                               
Department  of  Public  Safety,  Juneau,  Alaska,  said  the  SCS                                                               
amended section seven, titled  "pyrotechnic licenses and permits"                                                               
found  on pages  four and  five of  the SCS.  She said  the issue                                                               
identified was  related to the  insurance requirements  for these                                                               
permits. She said  these licenses were for  large scale fireworks                                                               
displays, like those in Juneau  or Anchorage, and most areas, for                                                               
the Fourth  of July,  or for  Rondy. She  noted that  large scale                                                               
fireworks displays  require a special  license and a  permit. The                                                               
way the  bill was originally drafted,  the insurance requirements                                                               
were  tied to  the  license, and  should have  been  tied to  the                                                               
permit, so  that the insurance  requirement doesn't put  an undue                                                               
burden on the business to  maintain insurance throughout the year                                                               
when they only need the insurance  at the time of the permit when                                                               
the  display  of fireworks  occurs.  She  noted that  there  were                                                               
insurance  requirements   such  as  public   liability  insurance                                                               
coverage  to  ensure that  those  protections  are in  place  and                                                               
certain  time  frames  that  would   have  to  be  met  prior  to                                                               
scheduling  a  large-scale   fireworks  display.  She  concluded,                                                               
saying that  the SCS  would amend  HB 146  to properly  place the                                                               
insurance  requirements  with  a   permit  [rather  than  with  a                                                               
license].  She noted  the State  Fire Marshall  was available  to                                                               
provide technical information.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
6:14:52 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN removed his objection.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
6:14:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN found no further objection  and the SCS for HB 146                                                               
was adopted.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
6:15:04 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
6:15:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON  moved to  report SCS  CSHB 146,  work order                                                               
33-GH1356\U, from  committee with individual  recommendations and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:15:24 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:16:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN [reconvened the meeting].                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:16:39 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN found  no  objection and  SCS  CSHB 146(L&C)  was                                                               
reported from Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.