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explosive consumer fireworks, including <br />sparklers, party poppers, snakes, and other <br />novelty items —relaxing the ban on <br />consumer fireworks in place in Minnesota <br />since 1941. In 2008, the Legislature further <br />relaxed the ban by increasing the amount of <br />explosive material allowed in legal <br />fireworks. <br />Local fire service professionals have <br />reported that consumers and law <br />enforcement personnel have had difficulty <br />distinguishing between legal and illegal <br />fireworks, and that the 2002 law resulted in <br />greater use in Minnesota of illegal fireworks <br />purchased in other states. <br />According to data provided by the <br />Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division, <br />injury trends and dollar losses related to <br />fireworks incidents surged after the <br />consumer fireworks ban was lifted. Hospital <br />reports reveal that the annual number of <br />injuries caused by fireworks rose <br />dramatically in 2002 and remains elevated. <br />Likewise, Minnesota Fire Incident <br />Reporting System records show that the <br />annual dollar loss resulting from fireworks <br />incidents increased significantly in 2002 and <br />has since grown. <br />In 2003, the state enacted a number of <br />provisions limiting local authority pertaining <br />to fireworks sales. The 2003 law caps the <br />allowable municipal permit fee at $100 per <br />vendor selling fireworks with other <br />products, and $350 per vendor selling <br />fireworks exclusively. The law restricts <br />cities from requiring fireworks sellers to <br />purchase additional liability insurance. <br />Finally, the 2003 law states that cities cannot <br />prohibit or restrict the display of consumer <br />fireworks if the display and structure <br />complies with National Fire Protection <br />Association (NFPA) Standard 1124. The <br />NFPA is a private international association <br />of individuals and trade and professional <br />organizations. (NFPA Standard 1124 is not a <br />public document and is available only for a <br />fee.) <br />Fireworks products can cause serious <br />injuries and fire loss. The legal sale of <br />consumer fireworks undermines fire <br />prevention efforts. The sale and use of <br />consumer fireworks increases local public <br />safety enforcement, emergency response, <br />and fire -suppression costs. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities opposes legislation that would <br />further relax the ban on the sale and use <br />of consumer fireworks. The League <br />supports a repeal of the 2002 law that <br />relaxes the ban on the sale and use of <br />consumer fireworks. <br />Fees are needed to cover the costs <br />associated with compliance checks, <br />education, and inspections relating to the <br />sale of a regulated product. The current <br />fee caps do not allow cities to recover <br />these costs. The League supports allowing <br />cities to establish and impose reasonable <br />fees on retailers that sell fireworks. The <br />League opposes restrictions on requiring <br />fireworks retailers to purchase additional <br />liability insurance. Finally, the League <br />seeks repeal of the NFPA reference. <br />SD-44. Traffic Enforcement <br />Cameras <br />Issue: Drivers who disobey traffic laws can <br />cause serious traffic accidents and contribute <br />to gridlock. In spite of the severity of this <br />problem, cities cannot always afford the <br />levels of peace officer enforcement that <br />residents demand The technology exists to <br />enforce traffic laws with photographic <br />evidence. For example, there is less running <br />of red lights when motions imaging <br />recording systems (MIRS) are installed at <br />traffic signals <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2015 City Policies Page 29 <br />