Governor Mike DeWine has vetoed Substitute Senate Bill 113, legislation that would have legalized the discharge of consumer grade fireworks including bottle rockets, firecrackers, and missiles 24-hours a day around the times of 14 holidays each year, with only minimal safety restrictions in place.
The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians, as a member of the Ohio Fireworks Safety Coalition, has long opposed the legalization of consumer grade fireworks because of the health and safety risk posed. There were nearly 14,000 serious injuries caused by discharge of consumer fireworks last year and HALF were to innocent bystanders. Nearly 36% of those injured are children!