**Action Alert** Minnesota Fireworks Bill!!

[jakattack]

She's my senator, too. I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but I'm not surprised she's voting "no" based on her picture...

[MishaZub]

Is it reasonable to reply to those statements with counterpoints? I recall documented statistics indicating more and worse injuries in states with bans than in states without. I couldn't put my finger on it today, but I recall reading it from P.U. - maybe on the old boards?

Of course, if it would be a waste of time then it is moot.

[craig101]

probably a waste of time for someone already committed to a position. it's good that she was contacted so she knows people are watching her.....remember most metro democrats will vote NO, the rural democrats will vote yes.

[Richard]

probably a waste of time for someone already committed to a position. it's good that she was contacted so she knows people are watching her.....remember most metro democrats will vote NO, the rural democrats will vote yes.

Unfortunately, this is what I've found to be true, for the most part, in NY State.

[kstofer]

I was wondering if this was going to quietly move through the legislature. I guess I have my answer. I'm wondering if this publicity will help or hurt our case.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/...145861675.html

From Startribune.com:
The incendiary urge to shoot off rockets on warm summer nights remains alive in the land of snakes and sparklers.

Those illegal lakeside and back-yard displays often are procured in Wisconsin, and some Minnesota legislators want to change that. Bills awaiting floor action in both houses would legalize the sale and use of a wider range of consumer fireworks, including light-and-run rockets that leave the earth and go boom in the night.

Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove, the House sponsor, said the idea hit him as he watched kids and parents in Cottage Grove last July 4th.

"It just kind of dawned on me, OK, the sparklers and stuff are legal," he said. "But the ones the dad just shot off, those are illegal. Is he a bad guy? No -- these are something that are a part of our tradition. Why should we let all this money go to Wisconsin?"

In Minnesota, what are called "novelties" -- sparklers, snakes and small fizzy fountains -- were legalized in 2002. The bigger consumer fireworks, such as bottle rockets, firecrackers and multi-tube skyrockets that blossom at 150 feet, remain illegal, but stubbornly popular. In the Twin Cities area, Wisconsin's thriving border fireworks marketplace is often the source.

Those who deal with the aftermath of fireworks displays gone awry are solidly opposed. Police and fire chiefs associations, burn centers at Regions Hospital and Hennepin County Medical Center, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, the Academy of Ophthalmology, the American College of Emergency Physicians and the League of Minnesota Cities are among the dozens of groups lined up against the proposals.

"It's a recreational toy that does terrible, disastrous damage," Daniel Bernardi, a former deputy state fire marshal who represents Twin Cities burn centers, told a Senate committee.

Kreisel, who lost his legs while serving with the Minnesota National Guard in Iraq, responded during an interview on the House floor: "I doubt there's a person in this room that understands explosive injuries more than I do, right?" he said. " I'm comfortable passing this. I'm comfortable with trusting Minnesotans with the responsibility of using these responsibly."

The new bills would allow the sale and use of the full range of consumer fireworks, said Dan Peart of Ohio-based Phantom Fireworks, who testified on the Senate bill. Access to the giant rockets in municipal displays still would be limited to licensed experts.

Peart described the most popular consumer fireworks on the market today -- a 500-gram repeater that can send several rockets skyward. "It's the largest consumer firework allowable by law," Peart said. By lighting one fuse, he said, shells arc more than 100 feet and burst with a concussion that can be felt on the ground. "It's really quite impressive," he said.

The company's "Bada Bing Bada Boom" product promises "a good silver comet tail on the way up, ending in a terrific, round chrysanthemum break of red or green, with plenty of crackle."

Kreisel said the idea was his, not that of the fireworks industry. He said he believes adults can and should be allowed to use these larger fireworks safely and legally.

"My district's close to the border," he said. "A lot of people, when they buy them, they spend their money in Wisconsin, maybe fill up their tank of gas in Wisconsin, come back to Minnesota and shoot off the fireworks," he said. Use would be allowed only by those 18 and over and only on private property. Sales would be allowed both at permanent stores and at temporary roadside tents.

"There are too many people here that want to baby-sit and say, no, we really think we can't trust Minnesotans," Kriesel said. "They're going to start everything on fire, they're going to blow their hands and heads off. It's absurd. It's not fair. I trust Minnesotans."

Dan Winkel, the Andover fire chief and an official of the Minnesota Fire Chiefs Association is unmoved by Kriesel's arguments. He says fireworks have been responsible for several major grass fires in recent years, and the number of fireworks-related injuries tripled in the year after the 2002 law was passed. "We continue to oppose any and all expansion of fireworks, in that they will cause more injuries and fires that we will have to respond to," he told a Senate committee.

William Mohr, medical director of the Burn Center at Regions Hospital, said the number of burn injuries from fireworks is directly related to the availability of the product. "I don't think you can possibly put an economic value on either the catastrophic injury or mortality as a result of these devices," he told legislators.

"Eleven-year-old kids who lose their eye ... that's what I want you to think about, when you're trying to decide if we can get a little more income from surrounding states off fireworks ales."

Kriesel and Sen. Michael Jungbauer, R-East Bethel, are sponsors of the fireworks bills. Both bills have cleared committee hurdles, and the House version was moved into position for possible floor action this week. A spokeswoman for Gov. Mark Dayton said he is willing to consider the idea should the Legislature pass it.

[craig101]

I am surprised it took this long for an article like this. I think the positions/votes are already decided. Cats out of the bag, the House floor vote should be tomorrow. It was slated for today, but the calendar was too long, so they ran out of time today. From everything I've been told, we have the votes in the house and senate floor.

[lostfido]

Protecting us from ourselves BS

We better ban bikes-----kids get hurt---I am proof
We better ban snowmobiles-----people get hurt----I am proof
We better ban skateboards----kids get hurt-----I am proof
We better ban cars-----mechanics get hurt----I am proof

We should ban everything that can possibly hurt you!!!!!

I deal with firefighters every day all day, most of them enjoy fireworks but do understand there are dangers involved----but when you get to be a Captain, Chief or Marshall it seems as though you have to oppose fireworks completely, I don't get it.

end Fatguy rant

[Jack Leonard]

So what was the vote in the House today?

[pyro chris]

I deal with firefighters every day all day, most of them enjoy fireworks but do understand there are dangers involved----but when you get to be a Captain, Chief or Marshall it seems as though you have to oppose fireworks completely, I don't get it.

I think politically they have too, I doubt it's their true opinion on the matter.

One of the local PD's here is anti-conceal & carry and the chief states it publicly on the news whenever it comes up, but the handful of local police officers and detectives I know are all for it. Just another one of those do as I say not as I do things...

[craig101]

it was discussed on the floor today, very late in day. there was a motion to re-refer to a committee. Kriesel the author had to leave to get his kids, the house was running out of time, so the majority leader agreed to re-refer the bill to the committee. He assured another rep. that this bill will be back VERY soon. dunno anymore then that. i'd say we had at least 90 votes out of 137. so 90-47 vote split thereabouts. when I know more, you'll know more.

[runningman]

Thanks for the update Craig. If you're going to any of the demo's in Wisconsin, I'll buy you a couple of beverages.

[craig101]

thanks. i might try and hit up some demos.

oh and just to let you guys know. I am SO SO SO PISSED with PHANTOM right now!!!!!!! they are doing EVERYTHING they can to KILL this bill!!!! i am so angry with them and their lobbyists.

[standingonthecorner2]

[QUOTE=craig10

oh and just to let you guys know. I am SO SO SO PISSED with PHANTOM right now!!!!!!! they are doing EVERYTHING they can to KILL this bill!!!! i am so angry with them and their lobbyists.[/QUOTE]

Same old sh.. tactics from the Phantom ...It's all about the money with Phantom. Always has been!

[billebouy]

It never ceases to amaze me that people are surprised when Phantom's lobbying motivations are revealed.

[3cubed]

Any guesses on the pro/con vote count in the Senate? Too late to apply more pressure there?
Once again, thanks for all the hard and obviously effective work you're doing on our behalf. If you are at the Victory Demo, look me up, I'll be wearing a "Craig101 for President" pin (not to ignore all of the good work being done out there by lots of great Pyro friends)- I too will pony up for beverage or 2 or a ride home if you need one.

[craig101]

Thanks. your guys' emails and phone calls are a HUGE help as well!

All along I think people are positive on the floor votes. i'd say we might be 45-ish yes to 22-ish no on the senate floor. Feel free to email the senators though. just be nice and polite. I think everyone has already made up their mind on their vote, its just getting to the VOTE!

The senate is waiting for the house vote and then the senate will amend the senate bill to mirror the house bill to avoid conference committee.

[jakattack]

thanks for all the help, craig. it would be so nice to get this passed.

[lostfido]

Thanks for the update Craig. If you're going to any of the demo's in Wisconsin, I'll buy you a couple of beverages.

Ditto that!!!!

[craig101]

Ok we have a hearing tomorrow (Thursday) morning in the Government operations at 9am.

Email the following members and ask that they support the bill as currently written. Allowing cities to regulate the sales/use of fireworks would create a patchwork of ordinances that would be difficult to enforce and could unwittingly make some citizens law breakers if they didn't know every cities ordinances and their exact location with regard to city boundaries.

rep.joyce.peppin@house.mn
rep.rich.murray@house.mn
rep.mike.beard@house.mn
rep.david.hancock@house.mn
rep.carol.mcfarlane@house.mn
rep.tim.odriscoll@house.mn
rep.duane.quam@house.mn
rep.tim.sanders@house.mn
rep.dean.urdahl@house.mn


obviously this isn't the whole membership of the committee, the rest are metro democrats and they want to kill this bill, so unless you really want to, don't waste your time with the unlisted committee members.

GET TO IT!!!!!!

[RobertH]

Could someone please answer a question for me (if you can..): what is Phantom's motivation for opposing the bill?? If it is that they would not get tent sales and someone else will....then making an argument on safety grounds would surely be clearly disingenuous (and the Rep's would see through it....no???)?????? Do any of you really know for sure??

Just sent emails to the comittee myself. Thank you all again for working on this.

[stormy]

I sent my polite note and I encourage everyone else to do the same!

[mnlefty]

I wonder how much time and resources are being spent already by the manufacturers/retailers trying to secure additional tent space and new retail space in anticipation of this passing... Assuming it goes with an active date of June 1 I think it's obviously going to be a crazy rush right out of the gate.

I'll certainly enjoy not having to make a trek to WI, although this was to be the year I actually made a wholesale order @ Victory.

[kstofer]

Emails sent.

[runningman]

I recently gave Dean Urdahl a tour of our plant. I was kind of embarassed that his name didn't ring a bell. I didn't know who he was until some of our employees came up to shake his hand. We both laughed about it later. I'll send him an email and remind him if he doesn't vote for this, it's easy for people to forget his name.

[tffkap]

Got a response from Senator Gerlach today...

John,

No worries. I voted to move the bill to the floor. I'm not sure when we'll vote on it yet but as I said previously, I will support the bill.

Thanks for the note John. Take care.

Sincerely,

Chris Gerlach
State Senator- District 37
Apple Valley, Burnsville, Rosemount

Aaaaand a response from Senator Harrington

Dear Mr. Paine,

Thank you for writing in regards to SF1694, which would legalize the sale and use of aerial fireworks in Minnesota.

I cannot support this legislation. The fire departments and hospital burn units have provided me with compelling information on the injuries and tragedies that aerial fireworks have been a part of. The human cost appears too high for the entertainment and economic benefits that fireworks might provide.

Thank you again for writing my office about this matter. I encourage you to do so again in the future regarding this or any other legislative matter of interest to you.



Carpe Diem,

Senator John M. Harrington

Eastside Pride

1 for and 1 against it seems lol

[AZ Pyro]

What I don't understand is how these people cannot see that the state is still going incur the risk of injuries and fires regardless of the legality of fireworks, people will spend their money out of state and bring the risk back home. It makes sense to me to allow these and keep the money in state in stead of losing it to a neighboring one.

[pyrokid]

What I don't understand is how these people cannot see that the state is still going incur the risk of injuries and fires regardless of the legality of fireworks, people will spend their money out of state and bring the risk back home. It makes sense to me to allow these and keep the money in state in stead of losing it to a neighboring one.

While that is true, I don't think it would get you anywhere with politicians or the media. It smacks of acqueiscing to the scofflaws, which is bad.

Now the causes of the injuries, you could go somewhere with that.

[billebouy]

Could someone please answer a question for me (if you can..): what is Phantom's motivation for opposing the bill??

Keeping tents out means keeping small operators out.

[craig101]

billebouy has it right. Phantom says buildings are safer than tents....oh by the way, phantoms sales model is to sell from buildings and their chief competitor, TNT, primarily sells from tents....phantom gets to say they are for safety, but conveniently this argument also limits competition.....LOL

for a second we thought Senator Harrington would support fireworks, but obviously not. LOLOL

[gpstech48]

My emails are sent! Here is another nice response I got from Senator Chris.

Christopher,

Thanks for the email about moving the fireworks bill to the Senate floor. As someone who enjoys shooting off fireworks on the Fourth of July, I was happy to vote to move this bill to the Senate floor. When we bring it up for a vote on the Senate floor, I will vote in favor of it.

Thanks for the note Christopher. Email me anytime.

Sincerely,

Chris Gerlach
State Senator- District 37
Apple Valley, Burnsville, Rosemount