House Bill No. by Representative Fontenot aims to amend and reenact various sections of Louisiana's fireworks regulations, specifically R.S. 51:650, 651.1, 655, and 656, while also enacting new provisions and repealing certain existing definitions and requirements. The bill updates definitions related to fireworks, including "proximate display," "public display," "pyrotechnic operator," and "pyrotechnic special effects operator," while removing the definitions for "Class C public display" and "pyrotechnic operator." It establishes that only items classified as 1.4G fireworks in compliance with APA Standard 87-1A may be sold to the public by licensed retailers. Additionally, the bill modifies licensing requirements, including increasing fees for pyrotechnic special effects operator licenses and changing the process for license renewal.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new permit requirements for public and proximate displays, mandating a current certificate of insurance for general liability coverage of one million dollars. It raises the application fee for permits from $100 to $200 and establishes a renewal fee of $100, while repealing the fee for Class C public displays. The bill also makes it unlawful for individuals to purchase fireworks from wholesalers without a valid retail permit issued by the state fire marshal. Overall, the proposed changes aim to enhance safety regulations and streamline the licensing and permitting processes related to fireworks in Louisiana.

Statutes affected:
HB956 Original: 51:650(23), 51:1(B), 51:655(C)(3), 51:656(C), 51:650(6), 51:655(D)