This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Some pesky cities and towns have banned fireworks that the state law says are legal — so the Utah House advanced a bill Wednesday to stop that.
It voted 73-1 to pass HB289 and send it to the Senate.
Bill sponsor Rep. James Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville, said when he asked some cities and towns why they banned fireworks that were made legal by the Legislature in recent years, "They said because it says fireworks may be discharged. It doesn't say we have to allow it."
His bill would reword state law to make clear that local jurisdictions cannot ban fireworks allowed by state law.
The bill, however, allows cities and counties to ban discharge of fireworks in areas facing high hazard of wildfires. The bill clarifies that when such hazards exists, fireworks may be banned in areas that are mountainous, covered with brush or forests, are part of an urban-wildland interface, or in farm areas.
Lee Davidson