BILL NUMBER: SCR 71	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JULY 15, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JULY 2, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Gaines
   (Coauthors: Senators Bates, Glazer, and Vidak)

                        JUNE 1, 2015

   Relative to Fireworks Safety Month.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 71, as amended, Gaines. Fireworks Safety Month.
   This measure would designate June 21, 2015, through July 21, 2015,
as Fireworks Safety Month and would encourage the Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection and local fire protection agencies to
educate members of the public about the risks of improperly using
fireworks, including fireworks that have been approved as safe and
sane.
   Fiscal committee: yes.



   WHEREAS, Many Californians and visitors to the state will be
celebrating our nation's independence on July 4th with fireworks; and

   WHEREAS, Fireworks were involved in an estimated 11,400 injuries
treated in hospital emergency departments throughout the United
States during 2013, with roughly 65 percent of those injuries being
treated during the period between June 21 and July 21, inclusive; and

   WHEREAS, Serious misuse of fireworks devices, as well as the use
of illegal explosives, accounts for a large proportion of these
injuries; and
   WHEREAS, Children younger than 15 years of age accounted for
approximately  40  26  percent of the
 injuries,   injuries in the United States,
 with roughly  2,300   1,100  of
 those   reported  injuries being caused by
sparklers, 300 by bottle rockets, and  500  
800  by firecrackers; and
   WHEREAS, The parts of the body most often injured were hands,
fingers, head, face, eyes, and legs, with burns representing the most
common injury to all parts of the body, except that lacerations and
foreign bodies occurred more frequently in the eyes; and
   WHEREAS, Bodily injury is not the only damage that can occur from
improper use of fireworks and the Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection (CAL FIRE) has stated that improper use of fireworks
during California's severe drought has caused wildfires; and
   WHEREAS, CAL FIRE has already responded to 1,122 wildfires between
January 2015 and May 2015, inclusive, that have burned 4,206 acres,
nearly double the number of fires and acreage destroyed by this time
in 2013, and therefore CAL FIRE is urging the public to enjoy only
professional fireworks displays; and
   WHEREAS, Since it can take hundreds of thousands of gallons of
water to control a large wildfire, avoiding home use of fireworks is
important not only for safety and wildfire prevention, but also to
save precious water resources during this critical period of drought;
and
   WHEREAS, CAL FIRE has reminded those who choose to use fireworks
to celebrate to make sure fireworks are allowed in the area of use
and that users follow all safety precautions, because individuals not
following these requirements can be held financially responsible for
any fire caused by improper fireworks activities; now, therefore, be
it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates June 21, 2015, to
July 21, 2015, inclusive, as Fireworks Safety Month; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Legislature encourages the Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection and local fire protection agencies to
educate members of the public about the risks of improperly using
fireworks, including fireworks that have been approved as safe and
sane; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature encourages these agencies to advise
members of the public about the high fines for use or sale of
illegal fireworks in addition to the risk of paying for wildfire
damage caused by improper or illegal use of fireworks; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.