A. The governing body of a municipality may hold a hearing to determine if fireworks restrictions should be imposed within the boundaries of the incorporated municipality affected by extreme or severe drought conditions. The findings of the governing body shall be based on current drought indices published by the national weather service and any other relevant information supplied by the United States forest service.

B. Pursuant to any hearing under Subsection A of this section, the governing body of a municipality shall issue a proclamation declaring extreme or severe drought conditions within the boundaries of the incorporated municipality if the governing body determines such conditions exist. The governing body's proclamation:

(1) shall ban the sale and use of missile-type rockets, helicopters, aerial spinners, stick-type rockets and ground audible devices within the affected drought area; and

(2) shall give the governing body the power to:

(a) limit the use within its jurisdiction of any fireworks not listed in Paragraph (1) of this subsection to areas that are paved or barren or that have a readily accessible source of water for use by the homeowner or the general public;

(b) ban the use of all fireworks within wildlands in its jurisdiction, after consultation with the state forester; and

(c) ban or restrict the sale or use of display fireworks.

C. The municipal governing body's proclamation declaring an extreme or severe drought condition shall be issued no less than twenty days prior to a holiday for which fireworks may be sold. The proclamation shall explain restrictions on the sale or use of fireworks and permitted sales or uses of fireworks.

D. A municipal governing body's proclamation shall be effective for thirty days and the governing body may issue succeeding proclamations if extreme or severe drought conditions warrant. A proclamation may be modified or rescinded within its thirty-day period by the governing body upon conducting an emergency hearing to determine if weather conditions have improved.

E. The governing body of a county may hold a hearing to determine if fireworks restrictions should be imposed within the unincorporated portions of the county affected by extreme or severe drought conditions. The findings of the governing body shall be based on current drought indices published by the national weather service and any other relevant information supplied by the United States forest service.

F. Pursuant to any hearing under Subsection E of this section, the governing body of a county shall issue a proclamation declaring extreme or severe drought conditions within the unincorporated portions of the county if the governing body determines such conditions exist. The governing body's proclamation:

(1) shall ban the sale and use of missile-type rockets, helicopters, aerial spinners, stick-type rockets and ground audible devices within the affected drought area; and

(2) shall give the governing body the power to:

(a) limit the use within its jurisdiction of any fireworks not listed in Paragraph (1) of this subsection to areas that are paved or barren or that have a readily accessible source of water for use by the homeowner or the general public;

(b) ban the use of all fireworks within wildlands in its jurisdiction, after consultation with the state forester; and

(c) ban or restrict the sale or use of display fireworks.

G. The county governing body's proclamation declaring an extreme or severe drought condition shall be issued no less than twenty days prior to a holiday for which fireworks may be sold. The proclamation shall explain restrictions on the sale or use of fireworks and permitted sales or uses of fireworks.

H. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a proclamation shall be effective for thirty days, and the county governing body may issue succeeding proclamations if extreme or severe drought conditions warrant. A proclamation may be modified or rescinded within its thirty-day period by the governing body upon conducting an emergency hearing to determine if weather conditions have improved.

History: Laws 1997, ch. 17, § 9; 1999, ch. 58, § 3.

The 1999 amendment, effective March 17, 1999, in Subsection A, in the first sentence substituted "governing body of a municipality" for "state fire board", substituted "within the boundaries of the incorporated municipality" for "in all or a portion of the state", and inserted "or severe"; in the second sentence substituted "governing body" for "state fire board" and deleted "and the U.S. department of agriculture" at the end of the sentence; in Subsection B, rewrote the introductory language, substituted "the governing body" for "local governments" in Paragraph (2), added Subparagraph (2)(b), redesignated former Subparagraph (2)(b) as Subparagraph (2)(c), and deleted Paragraph (3), which read "may ban or restrict the use of any type of fireworks on state lands within the affected drought area"; in Subsection C, rewrote the first sentence and added the second sentence; in Subsection D, in the first sentence, substituted "A municipal governing body's" for "Except as otherwise provided in this subsection" and inserted "or severe", in the first and second sentences, substituted "governing body" for "state fire board" and substituted "have improved" for "improve sufficiently to alleviate fire dangers" at the end of the second sentence; added Subsections E through H; and made minor stylistic changes.