COLUMBUS, Ohio — Governor Mike DeWine has signed a bill that will allow Ohioans to set off consumer-grade fireworks during holidays and other select days of the year.
The new law removes the state's requirement that Ohioans who purchase consumer-grade fireworks take them out of the state within 48 hours and can't be set off in Ohio.
House Bill 172 allows Ohioans to possess and discharge the fireworks on the following days:
- New Year's Day
- Chinese New Year
- Cinco de Mayo
- Memorial Day weekend
- Juneteenth
- July 3, 4 and 5 as well as the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday before and after July 4
- Labor Day weekend
- Diwali, a festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains
- New Year's Eve
Local municipalities will have the right to restrict dates and times of when the fireworks could be set off. In addition, local governments have the option to ban consumer-grade fireworks altogether.
The law will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
DeWine vetoed a similar bill, Senate Bill 113, in July. At the time, he said the bill would "make Ohio one of the least restrictive states in regard to fireworks laws.
"Amended Substitute House Bill 172 is a better bill than Senate Bill 113, which was the original fireworks bill that I vetoed,” DeWine said in a statement released Monday. “Because it was clear to me that the legislature would have overridden my veto, making Senate Bill 113 the law, I worked with the General Assembly to arrive at a compromise that included changes I wanted to see in the legislation.”
DeWine said the new bill limits the discharge of fireworks to “more traditional holidays” that Ohioans celebrate while recognizing the state’s numerous culturally diverse holidays.
“The compromise bill also reduces, by half, the allowable increase in showroom size originally offered in Senate Bill 113, while requiring enhanced fire sprinkler systems,” DeWine said. “The measure further prohibits the discharge of fireworks while in possession of, or under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances or on another person’s property without that person’s permission.”