Bill Text: IL SB1256 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Amends the Fireworks Regulation Act of Illinois and the Pyrotechnic Use Act. Provides that "fireworks" and "consumer fireworks" do not include handheld or ground-based sparklers that are nonexplosive and nonaerial, sometimes producing a crackling or whistling effect, and containing 75 grams or less of pyrotechnic composition per tube or a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tubes (rather than only sparklers) or wood stick or wire sparklers containing not more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic mixture per item. Effective January 1, 2024.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-05-19 - Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Andrew S. Chesney [SB1256 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB1256-Introduced.html


103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1256

Introduced 2/3/2023, by Sen. Napoleon Harris, III

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
425 ILCS 30/2 from Ch. 127 1/2, par. 102
425 ILCS 35/1 from Ch. 127 1/2, par. 127

Amends the Fireworks Regulation Act of Illinois and the Pyrotechnic Use Act. Provides that "fireworks" and "consumer fireworks" do not include handheld or ground-based sparklers that are nonexplosive and nonaerial, sometimes producing a crackling or whistling effect, and containing 75 grams or less of pyrotechnic composition per tube or a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tubes (rather than only sparklers) or wood stick or wire sparklers containing not more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic mixture per item. Effective January 1, 2024.
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A BILL FOR

SB1256LRB103 28604 CPF 54985 b
1 AN ACT concerning safety.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Fireworks Regulation Act of Illinois is
5amended by changing Section 2 as follows:
6 (425 ILCS 30/2) (from Ch. 127 1/2, par. 102)
7 Sec. 2. The following words and phrases, when used in this
8Act, shall for the purpose of this Act have the following
9definition and meaning:
10 (a) The term fireworks shall mean and include any
11explosive composition or any substance or combination of
12substances, or article prepared for the purpose of producing a
13visible or audible effect of a temporary exhibitional nature
14by explosion, combustion, deflagration or detonation, and
15shall include blank cartridges, toy cannons in which
16explosives are used, the type of balloons which require fire
17underneath to propel the same, firecrackers, torpedoes, sky
18rockets, Roman candles, bombs or other fireworks of like
19construction and any fireworks containing any explosive
20compound; or any tablets or other device containing any
21explosive substance, or containing combustible substances
22producing visual effects. The term "fireworks" shall not
23include snake or glow worm pellets; smoke devices; handheld or

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1ground-based sparklers that are nonexplosive and nonaerial,
2that may produce a crackling or whistling effect, and that
3contain 75 grams or less of pyrotechnic composition per tube
4or a total of 500 grams or less for multiple tubes; trick
5noisemakers known as "party poppers", "booby traps",
6"snappers", "trick matches", "cigarette loads" and "auto
7burglar alarms"; toy pistols, toy canes, toy guns, or other
8devices in which paper or plastic caps containing twenty-five
9hundredths grains or less of explosive compound are used,
10provided they are so constructed that the hand cannot come in
11contact with the cap when in place for the explosion; wood
12stick or wire sparklers that contain not more than 100 grams of
13pyrotechnic mixture per item; and toy pistol paper or plastic
14caps which contain less than twenty-five hundredths grains of
15explosive mixture; the sale and use of which shall be
16permitted at all times.
17 (b) The term "fireworks plant" shall mean and include all
18lands, with buildings thereon, used in connection with the
19manufacture or processing of fireworks, as well as storehouses
20located thereon for the storage of finished fireworks.
21 (c) The term "fireworks factory building" shall mean any
22building or other structure in which the manufacture of
23fireworks, or in which any processing involving fireworks is
24carried on.
25 (d) The term "magazine" shall mean any building or other
26structure used for the storage of explosive raw materials used

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1in the manufacture of fireworks.
2 (e) The term "Office" shall mean the Office of the State
3Fire Marshal.
4(Source: P.A. 83-474.)
5 Section 10. The Pyrotechnic Use Act is amended by changing
6Section 1 as follows:
7 (425 ILCS 35/1) (from Ch. 127 1/2, par. 127)
8 Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act, the following
9words shall have the following meanings:
10 "1.3G fireworks" means those fireworks used for
11professional outdoor displays and classified as fireworks
12UN0333, UN0334, or UN0335 by the United States Department of
13Transportation under 49 C.F.R. 172.101.
14 "Consumer distributor" means any person who distributes,
15offers for sale, sells, or exchanges for consideration
16consumer fireworks in Illinois to another distributor or
17directly to any retailer or person for resale.
18 "Consumer fireworks" means those fireworks that must
19comply with the construction, chemical composition, and
20labeling regulations of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety
21Commission, as set forth in 16 C.F.R. Parts 1500 and 1507, and
22classified as fireworks UN0336 or UN0337 by the United States
23Department of Transportation under 49 C.F.R. 172.101.
24"Consumer fireworks" shall not include snake or glow worm

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1pellets; smoke devices; trick noisemakers known as "party
2poppers", "booby traps", "snappers", "trick matches",
3"cigarette loads", and "auto burglar alarms"; handheld or
4ground-based sparklers that are nonexplosive and nonaerial,
5that produce a crackling or whistling effect, and that contain
675 grams or less of pyrotechnic composition per tube or a total
7of 500 grams or less for multiple tubes; toy pistols, toy
8canes, toy guns, or other devices in which paper or plastic
9caps containing twenty-five hundredths grains or less of
10explosive compound are used, provided they are so constructed
11that the hand cannot come in contact with the cap when in place
12for the explosion; wood stick or wire sparklers that contain
13not more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic mixture per item; and
14toy pistol paper or plastic caps that contain less than twenty
15hundredths grains of explosive mixture; the sale and use of
16which shall be permitted at all times.
17 "Consumer fireworks display" or "consumer display" means
18the detonation, ignition, or deflagration of consumer
19fireworks to produce a visual or audible effect.
20 "Consumer operator" means an adult individual who is
21responsible for the safety, setup, and discharge of the
22consumer fireworks display and who has completed the training
23required in Section 2.2 of this Act.
24 "Consumer retailer" means any person who offers for sale,
25sells, or exchanges for consideration consumer fireworks in
26Illinois directly to any person with a consumer display

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1permit.
2 "Display fireworks" means 1.3G or special effects
3fireworks or as further defined in the Pyrotechnic Distributor
4and Operator Licensing Act.
5 "Flame effect" means the detonation, ignition, or
6deflagration of flammable gases, liquids, or special materials
7to produce a thermal, physical, visual, or audible effect
8before the public, invitees, or licensees, regardless of
9whether admission is charged, in accordance with National Fire
10Protection Association 160 guidelines, and as may be further
11defined in the Pyrotechnic Distributor and Operator Licensing
12Act.
13 "Lead pyrotechnic operator" means an individual who is
14responsible for the safety, setup, and discharge of the
15pyrotechnic display or pyrotechnic service and who is licensed
16pursuant to the Pyrotechnic Distributor and Operator Licensing
17Act.
18 "Person" means an individual, firm, corporation,
19association, partnership, company, consortium, joint venture,
20commercial entity, state, municipality, or political
21subdivision of a state or any agency, department, or
22instrumentality of the United States and any officer, agent,
23or employee of these entities.
24 "Production company" means any person in the film, digital
25and video media, television, commercial, music, or theatrical
26stage industry who provides pyrotechnic services or

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1pyrotechnic display services as part of a film, digital and
2video media, television, commercial, music, or theatrical
3production in the State of Illinois and is licensed by the
4Office pursuant to the Pyrotechnic Distributor and Operator
5Licensing Act.
6 "Pyrotechnic display" means the detonation, ignition, or
7deflagration of display fireworks or flame effects to produce
8visual or audible effects of an exhibitional nature before the
9public, invitees, or licensees, regardless of whether
10admission is charged, and as may be further defined in the
11Pyrotechnic Distributor and Operator Licensing Act.
12 "Pyrotechnic distributor" means any person who distributes
13display fireworks for sale in the State of Illinois or
14provides them as part of a pyrotechnic display service in the
15State of Illinois or provides only pyrotechnic services and is
16licensed by the Office pursuant to the Pyrotechnic Distributor
17and Operator Licensing Act.
18 "Pyrotechnic service" means the detonation, ignition, or
19deflagration of display fireworks, special effects, or flame
20effects to produce a visual or audible effect.
21 "Special effects fireworks" means pyrotechnic devices used
22for special effects by professionals in the performing arts in
23conjunction with theatrical, musical, or other productions
24that are similar to consumer fireworks in chemical
25compositions and construction, but are not intended for
26consumer use and are not labeled as such or identified as

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1"intended for indoor use". "Special effects fireworks" are
2classified as fireworks UN0431 or UN0432 by the United States
3Department of Transportation under 49 C.F.R. 172.101.
4(Source: P.A. 99-642, eff. 7-28-16.)
5 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
61, 2024.
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