Des Moines, Iowa — You may soon be able to avoid heading to South Dakota to buy your 4th of July fireworks, if a bill passed by the Iowa Senate becomes law. Senators have voted to allow bottle rockets, Roman candles, and smoke balls to be sold at fireworks stands within the state’s borders. The bill would make it legal for Iowans to buy and ignite consumer fireworks in celebration of a few major holidays.
One northwest Iowa Senator voted against that bill, however. Senator David Johnson, an independent from Ocheyedan, says local governments will have no way to stop the kind of “shanty towns” that sell fireworks just across the border in Missouri.
Others, like Senator Tony Bisignano of Des Moines, say there will be more injuries from fireworks if this bill becomes law.
Senator Jake Chapman of Adel supported the measure.
Under current state law, sparklers, snakes and caps are legal to sell and set off, but you must have a permit to light any other kind of fireworks. Chapman says the current law makes no sense.
The state legislature made it illegal to sell or set off most fireworks in Iowa back in 1936. The move came after two significant northwest Iowa fires. In 1931, the downtown Spencer business district was destroyed after a sparkler ignited a table full of other fireworks and the blaze spread. Five years later, fireworks were blamed for a major fire in Remsen. Chapman says polls show a majority of modern day Iowans want to see fireworks legalized in the state.
The bill sets up licensing for retailers that plan to sell fireworks. The licensing fees will be used to finance fireworks safety programs. It also gives cities and counties the authority to pass local ordinances banning people from igniting fireworks. If the bill becomes law, it would be legal to buy and set off fireworks in a six week period around the 4th of July and from December 10th through January 3rd. Fireworks could only be sold from permanent structures during that winter time period. The current fine for those charged with illegally celebrating with a pop of fireworks is 250 dollars.
