05/02/2024 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

                 HB 146-REGULATION OF FIREWORKS                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:57:07 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of  CS  FOR  HOUSE  BILL  NO.  146(STA),  "An  Act                                                               
relating  to fireworks;  repealing  restrictions on  the sale  of                                                               
fireworks;  directing the  Department of  Public Safety  to adopt                                                               
fireworks regulations; and providing for an effective date."                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:57:27 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited a motion.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:57:29 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MERRICK  moved to adopt  the Senate  committee substitute                                                               
(SCS)  for  HB  146,  work  order  33-GH1356\S,  as  the  working                                                               
document.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:57:54 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI objected for purposes of discussion.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:58:03 PM                                                                                                                    
JOE   HAYES,  Staff,   Senator  Scott   Kawasaki,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature,  Juneau,   Alaska,  presented  the   explanation  of                                                               
changes from Version B to S of HB 146:                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
            HB 146 version B to SCS HB 146 Version S                                                                          
                       Summary of Changes                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to fireworks; repealing restrictions                                                                      
     on the sale of fireworks; directing the Department of                                                                      
       Public Safety to adopt fireworks regulations; and                                                                        
               providing for an effective date."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     The  bill  was  rewritten   in  consultation  with  the                                                                    
     Department of Public Safety  to address concerns raised                                                                    
     by committee members.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     The current  statutory category of  "salable fireworks"                                                                    
     is  replaced with  two categories  of legal  fireworks:                                                                    
     "consumer fireworks"  which may be sold  to the general                                                                    
     public and  "display fireworks" which can  only be used                                                                    
     for public display purposes.  A new pyrotechnic license                                                                    
     is  created  which  will be  required  to  purchase  or                                                                    
     possess  display   fireworks.  Conforming   changes  to                                                                    
     existing statutes are made throughout the bill.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:59:17 PM                                                                                                                    
LISA PURINGTON, Acting Legislative  Liaison, Department of Public                                                               
Safety,  Anchorage, Alaska,  expressed her  appreciation for  the                                                               
committee  working with  the  department to  draft  the SCS.  She                                                               
expressed  hope that  the  changes in  the  SCS address  concerns                                                               
regarding statutory  updates, which would help  with enforcement,                                                               
public safety, and licensure.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:00:07 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI   removed  his  objection;  finding   no  further                                                               
objection, SCS CSHB 146 was adopted.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:00:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:00:19 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MERRICK moved  to report  SCS CSHB  146, work  order 33-                                                               
GH1356\S,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:00:32 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  KAWASAKI found  no  objection and  SCS  CSHB 146(STA)  was                                                               
reported from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.