Lawmakers considering tweaks of fireworks law

ATLANTA -- Last year, a great Georgia tradition of driving just over the state line to buy fireworks ended when the state legalized fireworks sales.

Now, state lawmakers in Atlanta -- noise and safety complaints in hand -- may seek to limit the fallout from what they did.

Today's fireworks regulations have proven to be a great "aggravation factor for many constituents," said state Rep. Paul Battles, R-Cartersville, author of a House bill that would set limits on when and where people can use fireworks including Roman candles and bottle rockets.

The aggravation became obvious in the early hours of July Fourth last year, when people started calling legislators such as Battles to complain about the racket, roused children and agitated dogs.

Local officials such as fire chiefs started calling too about people doing unwise things with fireworks.

Battles' House Bill 727 would limit fireworks use to the hours of 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. most days of the year. For the Fourth of July and New Year's Eve, the deadline would be extended a little longer. (Now, fireworks may be lit between 10 a.m. and midnight, with the window extended until 2 a.m. around New Year's Day and Independence Day.)

Battles also proposes some public safety rules: no fireworks use near facilities that store lots of flammable liquids, near electric substations, in public streets or in an area of drought.

His bill would also let cities and counties restrict fireworks limits for some "justifiable conditions," such as under a noise ordinance or for some public safety concern.

Battles' bill also bans using fireworks to harass people.

He said he's had cases of people asking their neighbors to knock off the fireworks, but the pyrotechnicians do just the opposite.

"A lot of times, (a complaint) only infuriates some and they say, 'Hey, they think we've been setting off fireworks? We're really going to do that now,'" he said.

State Rep. Alex Atwood, R-St. Simons, has also filed a bill that he said is intended to "provide a little more local control." Under the fireworks measure signed into law last year, local governments were not permitted to enact any additional legislation.

Atwood, who represents a district popular with vacationers, said some people "have not always been judicious" in their use of fireworks.

His House Bill 774 would guarantee fireworks use for July Fourth and New Year's Eve, but it would be up to cities and counties to decide what they want to allow on the rest of the calendar.

Macon-Bibb Republican state Rep. Allen Peake said he had lots of constituents say they want changes made to the fireworks law. Peake said he is all for some changes, particularly giving control back to local governments

Both Battles and Atwood said they are open to modifying their bills.

Committee hearings have yet to be scheduled for either one.

To contact writer Maggie Lee, e-mail mlee@macon.com

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Lawmakers considering tweaks of fireworks law ."