House Bill (HB) 253, a bill that legalizes the consumer discharge of dangerous fireworks in Ohio, is moving quickly through the Ohio House of Representatives. Sponsored by Representatives Don Manning (R-Middletown, OH) and Michael O’Brien (D-Warren, OH), this bill will be heard on Wednesday, February 5, by the House Commerce and Labor Committee.
HB 253, if passed, legalizes the discharge of consumer grade fireworks, including bottle rockets, firecrackers, and missiles 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with only minimal safety restrictions in place. There are 47 more states in the U.S. with safer fireworks laws than Ohio is proposing.
The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians opposes HB 253 in the spirit of public safety and is a member of the Ohio Fireworks Safety Coalition. There were 12,900 injuries caused by discharge of consumer fireworks last year… and half were to innocent bystanders. Thirty-six percent of total injuries were to children.
“Consumer-grade fireworks contain up to 500 milligrams of gunpowder. The Ohio State Fire Officials Association says there is no safe way to use them.”
“State lawmakers should listen to those on the front lines of protection Ohioans’ health, especially children’s health. The Ohio Fireworks Safety Coalition is composed of nearly 50 groups, including all of the state’s leading medical, health, and insurance organizations. The coalition strongly opposes such wholesale liberalization of Ohio’s fireworks law.”