Legalizing All Consumer Fireworks in Minnesota

SuperDave wrote:

Admin wrote:Well, everyone already uses the "illegal" fireworks anyway.

With your reasoning Jacob why not legalize murder, speeding, marijuana, underage drinking, rape, incest.............................. Heck, "everyone's doing it anyway", why not?

In 48 years you haven't learned much about human nature. Civilization is but a thin mask. Strip away the prohibitions and what do you have?

Chaos.

48 years, LOL! You have me confused with nitro. Oh come on, murder, rape... You need to think about it... fireworks don't compare to any of those. Al least they enforce the laws against murder, rape speeding and such. I want it passed because I enjoy my fireworks and celebrating the 4th LEGALLY. The fireworks law was enforced very little the way it is around here. I lit a strip of firecrackers shortly after cops drove by, they didn't do anything. We can't have anything that is illegal in the US, only things made legal to use as consumer fireworks. A little more than half of the country already allow the sale and use of those fireworks. What I was saying is that everyone around here is shooting them off while WI, ND and SD get all the sale money for them. They really want to legalize it because of the money the state could be making in the sales tax.

SuperDave wrote:I'm so excited about the Fourth that I'm going to make a monetary donation to the local fire department that serves our mountain cabin. Last time they were called to protect our property their hoses were so leaky that they looked like soaker hoses for the garden.

The surrounding neighbors rallied suppress the fire useing the own hoses in support of the leaky FD hoses. Since the fire ocurred on the weekend of the Fourth, there were a lot of neighbors and their guests present to assist.

Had the fire ocurred under different circumstances the FD would have been hard-pressed to put out the fire and prevent even more property damage than happened.

Just another side of the Fourth prespective.

That's nice! They really do need to replace the equipment when it starts to break down. We have a fire station at the end of our block that they will be tearing down sometime within the next few years along with the other Roseville stations so they can build one large one on the other side of town. Not the happiest with the idea as it will likely take longer for them to respond to fires on the opposite side of town. They are doing this because he surrounding cities of Maplewood and Shoreview have done the same thing just to make the place look nicer. I'm 100% sure the house fire count will go up if the firework bill is passed because of accidents and there always will be that one dumb $#!% that has to light a mortar too close to their house or by a dry pine tree. I'm also sure more people will be ending up in the hospital because they didn't read the "do not hold in hand" warning on a pack of firecrackers or a dumb friend points a roman candle at someone.

Well good news (somewhat)!

The fireworks bill has passed the house and was sent back to the senate because of an amendment that was added in the house. The amendment makes it where only the non safe and sane fireworks can be sold and used between June 1 and July 7. The senate revoted and it was passed again within minutes. The bill is now on the governor's desk where if he doesn't pass or veto it within 3 days, it will be automatically passed. The only part I don't like is the selling and using period of 6-1 to 7-7, sure I really only use them between then but that kills the chance for year round stores.

Well, its beginning to sound if the bill is going sour... The governor was acting if he was happy about the bill in the past on the radio but because the burn centers, police chiefs, fire chiefs contacting him, he is now split on it. On the news, a survey was taken and around 2000 people voted, around 1800 of them said yes to the bill. Many people are starting to believe that he is going to veto the fireworks bill because he is beginning to get upset over the Vikings stadium bill not going anywhere. The "if not passed or vetoed in 3 days allows it to be passed anyway" deal mentioned earlier doesn't apply to this bill as it is just shy of the 2/3 in both the house and senate so if the gov doesn't touch it, it will just die...

The gov is having a meeting tomorrow morning with the writers of the bill and that will likely be the last of it. I have called Toll Free 800-657-3717 and left a message (if the will even check their voicemail) to let him know I support it and many others are doing so too. I have also sent him an email about it.

Well 2 hours left for the gov to sign or veto the bill. Well it did indeed qualify for the "pass in 3 days in not acted on by the gov" deal. He did not veto it or sign it yet. He has been saying that it is the hardest bill to decide on as most of the residents in the state want it but the police, fire, medics, schools and other safety and emergency orig. don't want it.

just 2 minutes after posting my last message the gov vetoed the bill that will legalize all fireworks. He said that all the emails, calls and faxes from the police, fire and medics have overridden all the support from average citizens. They try at this every year but in the years before, it usually doesn't even make it to the floor.

yep, people are really angry shown by their comments on all the news sites. http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/04/28/dayton-vetoes-fireworks-expansion-attempt/#disqus_thread

nitroairplane wrote:Sucks to be a Minnesotan.

It doesn't suck... its just that sometimes the damn political moves in this state really get to you. The fireworks for one. Before, I thought a new stadium for the Vikings would be great but now they are creating such a deal out of it that I just couldn't give a rats ass if they get it done or not. Many believe that Dayton was holding the fireworks bill over the heads of the supports in the house and senate to get them to work up a stadium bill to get on his desk but since that didn't happen, he just vetoed the firework bill at the last hour before deadline.