A long-running effort to legalize more fireworks and return funds to local emergency response agencies died in a House subcommittee Thursday.
According to Republican Delegate Tom Garrett, local fire safety agencies in rural parts of the state are dangerously underfunded, including in his district...
“For Cumberland County, for fire and rescue, they’ve got $41,000 to maintain four fire stations, fire trucks, where one Jaws of Life can cost $15,000 by itself,” he told a House committee.
His solution? Give localities the choice to sell fireworks that are legal under federal law – not Virginia’s tougher standards – and tax the sale of those fireworks at 10% with the income earmarked for public safety spending.
It’s not a new effort; last year a similar bill included testimony from Greg Crowder, the mayor of Hillsville, who said he owned a handful of fireworks stands over the state line where more fireworks can be sold. He said millions of sales tax dollars were being lost as Virginians travel across the border to buy bigger fireworks.
“So, I already think it's coming in, it just needs to be regulated,” Crowder told a House committee in 2023.
Garrett said he worked with local groups to get more support for the effort this year, and he even got a nod of support from the state Fire Marshal's office. But other groups, including Keith Johnson, the fire chief for Loudoun County, warned against the effort.
“I don’t see good fireworks," Johnson said. "All fireworks that see increased calls and injuries are dangerous.”
Between pushback from public safety groups, as well as other opponents who worried about more loud noises that could impact veterans, those with autism and pets, the bill was killed along party lines.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
