Maryland 2022 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB560 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb0560
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 560
8	8	E4 2lr1865
9	9	HB 696/21 – JUD
10	10	By: Delegates Hornberger, Anderton, Boteler, Cox, M. Fisher, Ghrist, Griffith,
11	11	Jacobs, Kipke, McComas, McKay, Novotny, Otto, Parrott, Rose, Shoemaker,
12	12	and Wivell
13	13	Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2022
14	14	Assigned to: Judiciary
15	15
16	16	A BILL ENTITLED
17	17
18	18	AN ACT concerning 1
19	19
20	20	Public Safety – Consumer and Display Fireworks 2
21	21
22	22	FOR the purpose of authorizing a person who is at least a certain age and meets certain 3
23	23	requirements to purchase, possess, and use certain consumer fireworks; prohibiting 4
24	24	a person from intentionally igniting or discharging certain consumer fireworks in 5
25	25	certain circumstances; altering certain provisions to establish that certain provisions 6
26	26	authorizing the State Fire Marshal to issue a certain permit relating to fireworks 7
27	27	apply only to certain display fireworks; establishing that certain consumer fireworks 8
28	28	may be sold only from certain structures, with certain exceptions; and generally 9
29	29	relating to consumer and display fireworks. 10
30	30
31	31	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
32	32	Article – Public Safety 12
33	33	Section 10–101, 10–103, 10–104, and 10–110 13
34	34	Annotated Code of Maryland 14
35	35	(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 15
36	36
37	37	BY adding to 16
38	38	Article – Public Safety 17
39	39	Section 10–102.1 and 10–114 18
40	40	Annotated Code of Maryland 19
41	41	(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 20
42	42
43	43	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 21
44	44	Article – Public Safety 22
45	45	Section 10–109 and 10–111 23
46	46	Annotated Code of Maryland 24
47	47	(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 25
48	48	2 HOUSE BILL 560
49	49
50	50
51	51	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
52	52	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
53	53
54	54	Article – Public Safety 3
55	55
56	56	10–101. 4
57	57
58	58	(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 5
59	59
60	60	(b) [(1)] “1.3 G fireworks” means special fireworks: 6
61	61
62	62	(1) designed primarily to produce visible or audible effects by combustion 7
63	63	or explosion; 8
64	64
65	65	(2) THAT MEET THE FEDERA L REGULATIONS FOR 1.3 G FIREWORKS; 9
66	66	AND 10
67	67
68	68	(3) THAT COMPLY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION , PERFORMANCE , 11
69	69	COMPOSITION , AND LABELING REQUIRE MENTS ADOPTED BY THE CONSUMER 12
70	70	PRODUCTS SAFETY COMMISSION IN TITLE 16 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL 13
71	71	REGULATIONS RELATING TO COMMERCIAL PRACTI CES. 14
72	72
73	73	[(2) “1.3 G fireworks” includes: 15
74	74
75	75	(i) toy torpedoes, railway torpedoes, firecrackers and salutes that do 16
76	76	not qualify as 1.4 G fireworks, exhibition display pieces, illuminating projectiles, incendiary 17
77	77	projectiles, and incendiary grenades; 18
78	78
79	79	(ii) smoke projectiles or bombs containing expelling charges but 19
80	80	without bursting charges; 20
81	81
82	82	(iii) flash powders in inner units not exceeding 2 ounces each, flash 21
83	83	sheets in interior packages, and flash powder or spreader cartridges containing an amount 22
84	84	not exceeding 72 grains of flash powder each; and 23
85	85
86	86	(iv) flash cartridges consisting of a paper cartridge shell, small arms 24
87	87	primer, and flash composition, not exceeding 180 grains, all assembled in one piece.] 25
88	88
89	89	(c) [(1)] “1.4 G fireworks” means common fireworks: 26
90	90
91	91	(1) designed primarily to produce visible effects by combustion; 27
92	92
93	93	(2) THAT MEET THE FEDERA L REGULATIONS FOR 1.4 G FIREWORKS; 28
94	94	AND 29
95	95	HOUSE BILL 560 3
96	96
97	97
98	98	(3) THAT COMPLY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION , PERFORMANCE , AND 1
99	99	LABELING REQUIREMENT S ADOPTED BY THE CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY 2
100	100	COMMISSION IN TITLE 16 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS RELATING TO 3
101	101	COMMERCIAL PRACTICES . 4
102	102
103	103	[(2) “1.4 G fireworks” includes: 5
104	104
105	105	(i) small devices containing less than 2 grains of pyrotechnic 6
106	106	composition designed to produce an audible effect; 7
107	107
108	108	(ii) Roman candles, not exceeding 10 balls, that have a total 8
109	109	pyrotechnic composition not exceeding 20 grams and inside tube diameter not exceeding 9
110	110	3/8 inch; 10
111	111
112	112	(iii) sky rockets with sticks, that have a total pyrotechnic composition 11
113	113	not exceeding 20 grams and an inside tube diameter not exceeding 1/2 inch; 12
114	114
115	115	(iv) helicopter–type rockets that have a total pyrotechnic composition 13
116	116	not exceeding 20 grams and an inside tube diameter not exceeding 1/2 inch; 14
117	117
118	118	(v) wheels that have a total pyrotechnic composition not exceeding 15
119	119	60 grams for each driver unit or 240 grams for each wheel and an inside tube diameter of 16
120	120	driver units not exceeding 1/2 inch; 17
121	121
122	122	(vi) illuminating torches and colored fire in any form that have a total 18
123	123	pyrotechnic composition not exceeding 100 grams each; 19
124	124
125	125	(vii) dipped sticks that have a pyrotechnic composition containing any 20
126	126	perchlorate not exceeding 5 grams; 21
127	127
128	128	(viii) mines or shells in which the mortar is an integral part, that have 22
129	129	a total pyrotechnic composition not exceeding 40 grams; 23
130	130
131	131	(ix) firecrackers or salutes with casings that have a total pyrotechnic 24
132	132	composition not exceeding 2 grains each and external dimensions not exceeding 1 1/2 inches 25
133	133	in length or 1/4 inch in diameter; and 26
134	134
135	135	(x) novelties that consist of two or more 1.4 G fireworks.] 27
136	136
137	137	(D) “APA 87–1” MEANS THE AMERICAN PYROTECHNICS ASSOCIATION 28
138	138	STANDARD 87–1: “STANDARD FOR CONSTRUCTION AND APPROVAL FOR 29
139	139	TRANSPORTATION OF FIREWORKS, NOVELTIES, AND THEATRICAL 30
140	140	PYROTECHNICS ”, 2001 EDITION, OR ANY SUBSEQUENT ED ITION. 31
141	141
142	142	(E) “CONSUMER FIREWORKS ” MEANS ANY COMBUSTIBL E OR EXPLOSIVE 32
143	143	COMPOSITION OR ANY S UBSTANCE OR COMBINAT ION OF SUBSTANCES TH AT: 33 4 HOUSE BILL 560
144	144
145	145
146	146
147	147	(1) IS INTENDED TO PRODU CE VISIBLE OR AUDIBL E EFFECTS BY 1
148	148	COMBUSTION ; 2
149	149
150	150	(2) IS SUITABLE FOR USE BY THE PUBLIC; 3
151	151
152	152	(3) COMPLIES WITH THE CO NSTRUCTION, PERFORMANCE , 4
153	153	COMPOSITION , AND LABELING REQUIRE MENTS ADOPTED BY THE CONSUMER 5
154	154	PRODUCTS SAFETY COMMISSION IN TITLE 16 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL 6
155	155	REGULATIONS RELATING TO COMMERCIAL PRACTI CES; AND 7
156	156
157	157	(4) COMPLIES WITH THE PR OVISIONS FOR “CONSUMER FIREWORKS ” 8
158	158	AS DEFINED IN APA 87–1 OR ANY SUCCESSOR STA NDARD. 9
159	159
160	160	(F) (1) “DISPLAY FIREWORKS ” MEANS LARGE FIREWORK S TO BE USED 10
161	161	SOLELY BY PROFESSION AL PYROTECHNICIANS A ND DESIGNED PRIMARIL Y TO 11
162	162	PRODUCE VISIBLE OR A UDIBLE EFFECTS BY CO MBUSTION, DEFLAGRATION, OR 12
163	163	DETONATION . 13
164	164
165	165	(2) “DISPLAY FIREWORKS ” INCLUDES: 14
166	166
167	167	(I) SALUTES THAT CONTAIN MORE THAN 2 GRAINS OR 130 15
168	168	MILLIGRAMS OF EXPLOS IVE MATERIALS; 16
169	169
170	170	(II) AERIAL SHELLS CONTAI NING MORE THAN 60 GRAMS OF 17
171	171	PYROTECHNIC COMPOSIT IONS; AND 18
172	172
173	173	(III) OTHER DISPLAY PIECES THAT EXCEED THE LIMITS OF 19
174	174	EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS FOR CLASSIFICATION A S CONSUMER FIREWORKS AND ARE 20
175	175	CLASSIFIED AS FIREWO RKS UN0333, UN0334, OR UN0335, UNDER TITLE 49, § 21
176	176	172.101 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, RELATING TO PURPOSE AND 22
177	177	USE OF THE HAZARDOUS MATERIA LS TABLE. 23
178	178
179	179	[(d)] (G) “Explosive composition” means a mixture or substance that, when 24
180	180	ignited, may cause such a generation of highly heated gases that the resulting gaseous 25
181	181	pressures are capable of producing destructive effects on contiguous objects. 26
182	182
183	183	[(e)] (H) “Finishing and assembling building” means a structure in which 27
184	184	fireworks are assembled and packed but are not mixed or pressed. 28
185	185
186	186	[(f)] (I) (1) [“Fireworks” means combustible, implosive or explosive 29
187	187	compositions, substances, combinations of substances, or articles that are prepared to 30
188	188	produce a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, implosion, deflagration, or 31
189	189	detonation. 32 HOUSE BILL 560 5
190	190
191	191
192	192
193	193	(2)] “Fireworks” includes 1.3 G fireworks, 1.4 G fireworks, [firecrackers, 1
194	194	squibs, rockets, Roman candles, fire balloons, and signal lights] CONSUMER FIREWORKS , 2
195	195	AND DISPLAY FIREWORK S. 3
196	196
197	197	[(3)] (2) “Fireworks” does not include: 4
198	198
199	199	(i) toy pistols, toy canes, toy guns, or other devices that use paper 5
200	200	caps that contain 0.25 grains or less of explosive composition if the devices are constructed 6
201	201	so that a hand cannot touch the cap when the cap is in place for use; 7
202	202
203	203	(ii) toy pistol paper caps that contain less than 0.20 grains of 8
204	204	explosive composition; 9
205	205
206	206	(iii) sparklers that do not contain chlorates or perchlorates; 10
207	207
208	208	(iv) ground–based sparkling devices that are nonaerial and 11
209	209	nonexplosive, and are labeled in accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Consumer 12
210	210	Product Safety Commission; 13
211	211
212	212	(v) paper wrapped snappers that contain less than 0.03 grains of 14
213	213	explosive composition; or 15
214	214
215	215	(vi) ash–producing pellets known as “snakes” that do not contain 16
216	216	mercury and are not regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. 17
217	217
218	218	[(g)] (J) (1) “Fireworks plant” means land and any building on the land used 18
219	219	in connection with the manufacture, packaging, repackaging, or processing of fireworks. 19
220	220
221	221	(2) “Fireworks plant” includes a storage building used in connection with 20
222	222	plant operation. 21
223	223
224	224	[(h)] (K) “Mixing building” means a building primarily used to mix and blend 22
225	225	pyrotechnic composition other than wet sparkler mixes. 23
226	226
227	227	[(i)] (L) “Press building” means a building used primarily for pressing or 24
228	228	loading pyrotechnic composition into tubes or containers. 25
229	229
230	230	[(j)] (M) “Pyrotechnic composition” means a chemical mixture that on burning 26
231	231	and without explosion produces visible or brilliant displays, bright lights, or whistles. 27
232	232
233	233	[(k)] (N) “Storage building” means a structure in which finished fireworks or 28
234	234	fireworks in any state of processing are stored, but in which processing or manufacturing 29
235	235	is not performed. 30
236	236
237	237	10–102.1. 31 6 HOUSE BILL 560
238	238
239	239
240	240
241	241	(A) A PERSON WHO IS AT LEA ST 18 YEARS OLD AND MEETS THE 1
242	242	REQUIREMENTS OF THIS TITLE MAY PURCHASE , POSSESS, AND USE CONSUMER 2
243	243	FIREWORKS. 3
244	244
245	245	(B) A PERSON MAY NOT INTEN TIONALLY IGNITE OR D ISCHARGE CONSUMER 4
246	246	FIREWORKS: 5
247	247
248	248	(1) ON PUBLIC PROPERTY O R ON PRIVATE PROPERT Y WITHOUT THE 6
249	249	EXPRESS PERMISSION O F THE OWNER; 7
250	250
251	251	(2) WITHIN, INTO, AT, OR FROM A MOTOR VEHI CLE, A WATERCRAFT , 8
252	252	AN AIRCRAFT, AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM, OR A BUILDING; 9
253	253
254	254	(3) AT ANOTHER PER SON; 10
255	255
256	256	(4) WHILE THE PERSON IS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL , A 11
257	257	CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE , OR ANOTHER DRUG ; OR 12
258	258
259	259	(5) WITHIN 300 FEET OF A STRUCTURE . 13
260	260
261	261	(C) THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO REGU LATE THE SALE , 14
262	262	POSSESSION, OR USE OF ANY OF THE DEVICES LISTED IN § 10–101(I)(2) OF THIS 15
263	263	SUBTITLE. 16
264	264
265	265	10–103. 17
266	266
267	267	(a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the State Fire Marshal may 18
268	268	issue a permit to authorize the discharge of DISPLAY fireworks in a place where the 19
269	269	discharge of DISPLAY fireworks is legal. 20
270	270
271	271	(b) The State Fire Marshal shall issue a permit to discharge DISPLAY fireworks 21
272	272	only if the State Fire Marshal determines that the proposed discharge of fireworks will: 22
273	273
274	274	(1) not endanger health or safety or damage property; and 23
275	275
276	276	(2) be supervised by an experienced and qualified person who has 24
277	277	previously secured written authority from the State Fire Marshal to discharge fireworks. 25
278	278
279	279	(c) A permit to discharge DISPLAY fireworks: 26
280	280
281	281	(1) does not authorize the holder of the permit to possess or discharge 27
282	282	fireworks in violation of an ordinance or regulation of the political subdivision where the 28
283	283	fireworks are to be discharged; and 29
284	284	HOUSE BILL 560 7
285	285
286	286
287	287	(2) does not relieve an applicant for a permit from any requirement to 1
288	288	obtain any additional license or authority from the governing body of the political 2
289	289	subdivision where the fireworks are to be discharged. 3
290	290
291	291	10–104. 4
292	292
293	293	(a) A person must have a permit to discharge DISPLAY fireworks as provided by 5
294	294	this subtitle before the person: 6
295	295
296	296	(1) discharges DISPLAY fireworks; or 7
297	297
298	298	(2) possesses DISPLAY fireworks with the intent to discharge DISPLAY 8
299	299	fireworks or to allow the discharge of DISPLAY fireworks. 9
300	300
301	301	(b) An applicant for a permit to discharge DISPLAY fireworks shall: 10
302	302
303	303	(1) apply to the State Fire Marshal for the permit at least 10 days before 11
304	304	the date of discharge; 12
305	305
306	306	(2) pay to the State Fire Marshal a permit fee of $50; and 13
307	307
308	308	(3) post a bond with the State Fire Marshal in accordance with § 10–105 of 14
309	309	this subtitle. 15
310	310
311	311	(c) If the State Fire Marshal does not receive the application for a permit required 16
312	312	under subsection (b) of this section at least 10 days before the date of the discharge, the 17
313	313	State Fire Marshal shall charge the applicant a late fee of $50 in addition to all required 18
314	314	fees. 19
315	315
316	316	(d) The permit fee required under subsection (b)(2) of this section and the late fee 20
317	317	required under subsection (c) of this section do not apply to a volunteer fire department or 21
318	318	volunteer ambulance and rescue company. 22
319	319
320	320	(e) A permit to discharge DISPLAY fireworks is nontransferable. 23
321	321
322	322	10–109. 24
323	323
324	324	The State Fire Prevention Commission shall adopt regulations to carry out this 25
325	325	subtitle. 26
326	326
327	327	10–110. 27
328	328
329	329	(a) Unless the person holds a permit issued under this subtitle, a person may not: 28
330	330
331	331	(1) discharge DISPLAY fireworks; or 29
332	332	8 HOUSE BILL 560
333	333
334	334
335	335	(2) possess DISPLAY fireworks: 1
336	336
337	337	(i) with intent to discharge or allow the discharge of the DISPLAY 2
338	338	fireworks in violation of this subtitle; or 3
339	339
340	340	(ii) for the purpose of disposing or selling the DISPLAY fireworks to 4
341	341	a person for use or discharge without a permit, if a permit is required by this subtitle. 5
342	342
343	343	(b) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, a person may not sell 6
344	344	DISPLAY fireworks to another person without a permit issued under this subtitle. 7
345	345
346	346	(2) (i) A person licensed by the State Fire Marshal under Subtitle 2 of 8
347	347	this title may sell or deliver fireworks to a bona fide distributor, jobber, or wholesaler with 9
348	348	a principal place of business in a state where the sale or possession of fireworks is allowed. 10
349	349
350	350	(ii) The State Fire Marshal may require a person who is an 11
351	351	out–of–state distributor, jobber, or wholesaler to submit a certificate issued by the person’s 12
352	352	state of operation that demonstrates authority to buy and receive fireworks. 13
353	353
354	354	10–111. 14
355	355
356	356	(a) A person who possesses or discharges fireworks in violation of this subtitle is 15
357	357	guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $250 for each 16
358	358	offense. 17
359	359
360	360	(b) A person who sells fireworks in violation of this subtitle is guilty of a 18
361	361	misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 for each offense. 19
362	362
363	363	(c) (1) At the expense of the owner, the State Fire Marshal shall seize and 20
364	364	remove all fireworks possessed or sold in violation of this subtitle. 21
365	365
366	366	(2) Fireworks described in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be 22
367	367	forfeited and destroyed. 23
368	368
369	369	10–114. 24
370	370
371	371	(A) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, CONSUMER 25
372	372	FIREWORKS MAY BE SOL D ONLY FROM A STAND –ALONE PERMANENT STRU CTURE 26
373	373	THAT: 27
374	374
375	375	(1) IS LICENSED BY THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL; 28
376	376
377	377	(2) HAS A STORAGE AREA T HAT IS SEPARATED FRO M WHOLESALE OR 29
378	378	RETAIL SALES AREAS T O WHICH A PURCHASER MAY BE ADMITTED BY 30
379	379	APPROPRIATELY RATED FIRE SEPARATION ; 31
380	380	HOUSE BILL 560 9
381	381
382	382
383	383	(3) IS LOCATED AT LEAST 250 FEET FROM ANY FACILI TY THAT 1
384	384	STORES, SELLS, OR DISPENSES GASOLIN E, PROPANE, OR OTHER FLAMMABLE 2
385	385	PRODUCTS; 3
386	386
387	387	(4) IS LOCATED AT LEAST 1,500 FEET FROM ANY OTHER FACILITY 4
388	388	LICENSED TO SELL CON SUMER FIREWORKS ; 5
389	389
390	390	(5) HAS A MONITORED BURG LAR AND FIRE ALARM S YSTEM; AND 6
391	391
392	392	(6) CONDUCTS QUARTERLY F IRE DRILLS AND PREPL ANNING 7
393	393	MEETINGS AS REQUIRED BY THE PRIMARY FIRE DEPARTMENT IN TH E JURISDICTION 8
394	394	OF THE FACILITY. 9
395	395
396	396	(B) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , CONSUMER 10
397	397	FIREWORKS MAY BE SOL D FROM A TEMPORARY S TRUCTURE IF THE TEMP ORARY 11
398	398	STRUCTURE: 12
399	399
400	400	(I) IS LICENSED BY THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL; 13
401	401
402	402	(II) IS LOCATED AT LEAST 250 FEET FROM ANY FACILITY THAT 14
403	403	STORES, SELLS, OR DISPENSES GASOLIN E, PROPANE, OR OTHER FLAMMABLE 15
404	404	PRODUCTS; 16
405	405
406	406	(III) HAS AN EVACUATION PL AN POSTED IN A CONSP ICUOUS 17
407	407	LOCATION FOR A TEMPO RARY STRUCTURE IN AC CORDANCE WITH NFPA 1124; 18
408	408
409	409	(IV) IF IT HAS AN OUTDOOR STORAGE UNIT , HAS THE UNIT 19
410	410	SEPARATED FROM THE W HOLESALE OR RETAIL S ALES AREA TO WHICH A 20
411	411	PURCHASER MAY BE ADM ITTED BY APPROPRIATE LY RATED FIRE SEPARA TION; 21
412	412
413	413	(V) COMPLIES WITH NFPA 1124 AS IT RELATES TO RET AIL 22
414	414	SALES OF CONSUMER FI REWORKS IN TEMPORARY STRUCTURES; 23
415	415
416	416	(VI) IS LOCATED AT LEAST 2 MILES FROM ANY PERMA NENT 24
417	417	FACILITY LICENSED TO SELL CONSUMER FIREWO RKS; 25
418	418
419	419	(VII) DOES NOT EXCEED 2,500 SQUARE FEET; 26
420	420
421	421	(VIII) IS SECURED AT ALL TI MES DURING WHICH CON SUMER 27
422	422	FIREWORKS ARE DISPLA YED WITHIN THE STRUC TURE; 28
423	423
424	424	(IX) HAS A MINIMUM OF $2,000,000 IN PUBLIC AND PRODUC T 29
425	425	LIABILITY INSURANCE ; 30 10 HOUSE BILL 560
426	426
427	427
428	428
429	429	(X) HAS A SALES PERIOD L IMITED TO JUNE 15 THROUGH JULY 1
430	430	8 AND DECEMBER 21 THROUGH JANUARY 2 EACH YEAR; AND 2
431	431
432	432	(XI) STORES CONSUMER FIRE WORKS NOT ON DISPLAY FOR 3
433	433	RETAIL SALE IN AN OUTDOOR STORAG E UNIT. 4
434	434
435	435	(2) THE SALE OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS FROM A TEM PORARY 5
436	436	STRUCTURE IS LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING : 6
437	437
438	438	(I) HELICOPTER, AERIAL SPINNER (APA 87–1, 3.1.2.3); 7
439	439
440	440	(II) ROMAN CANDLE (APA 87–1, 3.1.2.4); AND 8
441	441
442	442	(III) MINE AND SHELL DEVIC ES NOT EXCEEDING 500 GRAMS. 9
443	443
444	444	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 10
445	445	October 1, 2022. 11
446	446