DENVER - Coloradans used to buying their fireworks at the nearby stand every Fourth of July may soon have to drive longer distances to get them.
House Bill 1092 would give Colorado's individual counties the opportunity to regulate the sale of fireworks. Colorado's cities can currently do this and many counties have indicated a desire to ban the sale of fireworks on unincorporated land.
"Fireworks cause fires," said Andrew Macdonald, who was representing the Boulder County Sheriff's Office. "This is a very serious issue for counties and fires are a very serious issue for this state."
Fire chiefs and county officials helped convince the House Local Government Committee to approve the measure on a 7-4 vote. They pointed to examples like the North Table Mountain Fire in Jefferson County on July 22, 2005 as evidence of what can happen when fireworks are misused. The fires burned 120 acres.
Current Colorado law allows for the sale of fireworks in unincorporated areas. Fireworks vendors fear removing the statewide protection against individual county action will essentially lead to a statewide ban, making it more difficult for Coloradans to enjoy the Fourth of July, and for the state's 307 fireworks vendors to survive.
"You're giving me no choice but to leave this state. You're driving my business elsewhere," said Lauren Collar, who owns and operates a fireworks store on North Federal Boulevard in unincorporated Adams County.
She sells to fireworks stands operating throughout Colorado each summer.
"If I have to combat this in every county I sell to, my business is going to fail," Collar said.
The measure will be taken up by the full State House within the next two weeks.
House Bill 1092 would give Colorado's individual counties the opportunity to regulate the sale of fireworks. Colorado's cities can currently do this and many counties have indicated a desire to ban the sale of fireworks on unincorporated land.
"Fireworks cause fires," said Andrew Macdonald, who was representing the Boulder County Sheriff's Office. "This is a very serious issue for counties and fires are a very serious issue for this state."
Fire chiefs and county officials helped convince the House Local Government Committee to approve the measure on a 7-4 vote. They pointed to examples like the North Table Mountain Fire in Jefferson County on July 22, 2005 as evidence of what can happen when fireworks are misused. The fires burned 120 acres.
Current Colorado law allows for the sale of fireworks in unincorporated areas. Fireworks vendors fear removing the statewide protection against individual county action will essentially lead to a statewide ban, making it more difficult for Coloradans to enjoy the Fourth of July, and for the state's 307 fireworks vendors to survive.
"You're giving me no choice but to leave this state. You're driving my business elsewhere," said Lauren Collar, who owns and operates a fireworks store on North Federal Boulevard in unincorporated Adams County.
She sells to fireworks stands operating throughout Colorado each summer.
"If I have to combat this in every county I sell to, my business is going to fail," Collar said.
The measure will be taken up by the full State House within the next two weeks.
