New law allows Pennsylvanians to buy bigger, boom-ier fireworks

The state’s attempt to fill a budget hole hundreds of millions of dollars deep has made holiday celebrations in Pennsylvania a little more explosive.

Under the revenue bill passed by the Legislature in October, fireworks vendors in the state are now allowed to sell consumer-grade fireworks – think aerial items like Roman candles, bottle rockets, mortars – to Pennsylvania residents. Previously, they could only sell them to out-of-state residents.

"For us to be willing to sell to those people who leave and not to people who stay is something that is not common-sensical," state Sen Pat Browne, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told the Morning Call.

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Some legislators believe the new law is a bad idea.

“It's a money grab, it's a secret money grab. There's no question about it,” said State Rep. Dom Costa.

Lower-grade fireworks such as sparklers and fountains were already legal to buy for Pennsylvanians. Display-grade fireworks are still restricted for use only by licensed professionals.

Consumer-grade fireworks come with a 12 percent tax on top of the state’s regular 6 percent tax. Legislators are hoping more sales mean more tax revenue.

Cox Media Group