A bill setting new limits on fireworks made a lot of noise during the final days of the 2016 legislative session. And on the 40th and final day, lawmakers had passed a bill that cuts back on the time and places fireworks can be used across Georgia.
Under the recently approved House BIll 727, Georgians celebrating New Year’s Day and July 4th will need to cut off the fireworks an hour earlier. Instead of a 2 a.m. cut-off, the bill would make it illegal to use fireworks after 1 a.m. During the rest of the year, all firework activity would have to stop at 9 p.m. instead of midnight.
However, the bill, sponsored by Rep. Paul Battles (R-Cartersville), gives local authorities more control over regulating fireworks in their own communities.
Battles’ bill would also make it illegal to use fireworks within the right of way of any road, street, highway or railroad, as well as within 100 yards of a nursing home, hospital, electric substation or a prison.
