The next Fourth of July will be very different in Ohio, as Governor Mike DeWine has signed off on a modified fireworks law to allow Ohioans to set off consumer-grade fireworks beginning July, 2022.
House Bill 172 allows adults to use consumer-grade fireworks on private property on select holidays: New Year’s Eve and Day, Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth, Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, as well as July 3, 4, 5 and the three-day weekends before and after July 4.
Fireworks would also be allowed on private property for the Chinese New Year and Diwali.
“Amended Substitute House Bill 172 is a better bill than Senate Bill 113, which was the original fireworks bill that I vetoed. 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 in a statement. “I appreciate the General Assembly addressing concerns I enumerated in the veto of Senate Bill 113 and incorporating most of them into House Bill 172.”
Under the new legislation, a county, township or city may create their own laws to restrict the dates and times a resident may discharge, ignite or explode fireworks. Cities, townships and counties could also ban fireworks being purchased.
Before DeWine signed the bill, the Ohio Senate voted 26-5 in support of the bill, and the Ohio House voted 72-24 in support.