HB 5968 Summary

• Adds five new sections to the Michigan Penal Code (MCL 750.243f-243j) to regulate fireworks sales, possession, and use, replacing the 2011 Michigan Fireworks Safety Act.

• Prohibits possession and sale of most fireworks including firecrackers, bottle rockets, and Roman candles, with limited exceptions for flat paper caps, sparklers, toy smoke devices, and items approved by the director of state police.

• Establishes a permit system allowing cities, villages, and townships to authorize fireworks for outdoor pest control, agricultural purposes, and public displays by municipalities, fair associations, and amusement parks; permits require applicants to be at least 18 years old.

• Sets storage requirements for fireworks including use of a single-story noncombustible building with weather resistance and security locks, with minimum distance requirements from inhabited buildings and railways based on pounds stored (ranging from 25 feet for 100 pounds of Class C fireworks to 220 feet for 200,001+ pounds of Class B fireworks).

• Makes violation of the new fireworks regulations a misdemeanor offense and establishes specific transportation standards requiring noncombustible vehicles with fire extinguishers and competent drivers at least 18 years old; takes effect 90 days after enactment.