Why are fireworks illegal in Illinois for use by adults? The dangers presented by the possession and use of small, non-professional type fireworks is not enough justify the usage and business opportunities and tax income benefits for the state, Not to forget the personal liberties of making decisions for ones self.
Every year tens of thousands of Illinois residents are forced to travel to Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, or other outlying states to illegally import fireworks into our state. This carries a potential penalty of 6 months in jail and a $10,000.00 fine from the state of Illinois, and the potential of federal prosecution of up to 1 year in prison! For some bottle rockets?!?!
Indiana alone realized approximately $45 million dollars last year from the legal sale of fireworks through approximately 90 dealers. At an average rate of 6.5% sales tax alone, Illinois state government stands to make nearly 3 million dollars yearly in additional revenue., not even considering the licensing fees, rental spaces, increases in shipping business, and sales of peripheral materials such as lighters, matches, signs, bags, cash registers, etc.
At a time where many counties and cities in the state of Illinois struggle to increase revenue by increasing taxes on property, gasoline, cigarettes and alcohol the introduction of a new sales material and potential tax levies can seem . Allowing Illinois residents to compete with the surrounding states for the determined fireworks purchaser seems a reasonable idea.
Forced? Funny, I live in Illinois, and I don’t recall being marched over the state line and required to purchase an illegal product.
The only answer to the GQ “Why are fireworks illegal in Illinois?” is “Because the Illinois legislature passed a ban on them.” or possibly “Because individual communities have passed ordinances banning them.” or more likely, some combination of both.
I think you’ve (at least partially) answered your own question there. What are they going to make more on, a few percent tax on fireworks sales, or the hefty fines from catching people using them illegally? To make up the same $3 million you quoted, they’d only have to catch 300 people. I bet they get more.
They’d make more from the sales tax; that’s why Illinois is considering loosening or repealing the ban: link
I can’t find any direct references to their reasons, but most opponents of fireworks cite the risk of injury, particularly to children and bystanders. There are also risks to property, public open space, and wildlife.
I thought of this, but I could not find a cite for any private citizens being charged under the state law. I can find examples of federal (ATF) prosecution in Illinois for fireworks distribution, but this leads me to believe that enforcement of this law is lax at best.
Speak for yourself. In Sangamon county, a few dozen people were arrested and charged with crimes, and are now facing hefty fines, for buying, selling and/or possessing fireworks.
Illinois is not going to legalize fireworks any time soon. Budget shortfall or no, if anything Illinois is clamping down harder on fireworks.
During the week leading up to the 4th of July, the editorial pages of the local media were filled with histrionic platitudes about leaving the fireworks to the professionals, and noble pleas to THINK OF THE CHILDREN! It seems lots of people around here are quite happy to have the state protect us from ourselves, at least as far as fireworks are concerned.
FTR, I went to my wife’s side of the family in rural Missouri and launched about $100 worth of store-bought fireworks (bought in Missouri) there on her undle’s lawn. There were lots of children present. Surprisingly, none of them were maimed, blinded or killed.
Errrrrrm, isn’t the sale of alcohol to teenagers illegal? OK, so with fireworks it’s an outright ban, but I don’t see how that suggests that safety isn’t the prime reason for the law.
Hey, here’s a related tangent that I’ve been wondering about, and maybe HeyHomie (or someone else) could answer. I grew up in Springfield, and I remember every year a couple of fireworks stands opening in an unincorporated part of Springfield, near the Wabash curve. My dad called it “the hole in the donut” because it was completely surrounded by Springfield city limits. I remember being told that they were owned by radio personality One-Eyed Jack. I never went to the stands, so I don’t know if they just specialized in sparklers and snakes, but my assumption was they were the same kinds of stands that you’d see in Missouri, etc. If so, what about this unincorporated part of Springfield allowed someone to sell fireworks?
Right, but the OP’s question was “Why are fireworks illegal in Illinois for use by adults?” You then touted off something about the damage kids can do with them. My point was that kids can do damage with anything, and that there are plenty of things that are illegal for kids, but are legal for adults, that they can get access to.
Yeah, they’re still there. They were opened up this year, in fact. They aren’t likely to be open next year, though, for reasons that I’ll get into in a moment.
In Sangamon county, you have to have a display permit. Very few people buy them, and vendors don’t generally check buyers for them. Until recently, law enforcement looked the other way. That all changed about two years ago. One-eyed Jack went to prison for not checking for display permits. (I think he got, and served, two years).
This year, as last year, there were police stings and arrests and fines and prison terms. There’s talk going around that Sangamon County will not issue any display permits at all beginning next year, meaning that those little stands in unincorporated Springfield will be selling products that are illegal in the county. IOW, no stands.
Well, that clears it up a little. I’m not sure I understand the display permits. Is this something that anyone could, in theory, get and then go buy fireworks from Jack. Or do you have to prove that you’re going to put on a public display, pass safety tests, and other things like that? Who issues the permits, the county, or the state, or the fire department?
They’re legal for adults in the UK. Which means that kids get them from their elder brother etc. And cause a huge nuisance, to the point there’s annual discussion about whether to outlaw public sale completely.
Seems to me that the authorities should go after the elder brother and get him on a serious penalty. That would be a better then to ban it all together.
Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure you have to have a display permit in any county in Illinois. I could be wrong, though.
In Sangamon county, just walk into the county building and ask around and you’ll be directed to the appropriate desk. As far as I know, you have to have a clear criminal record and proof that you have at least $1,000,000 in homeowner’s insurance. I’ve heard varying reports about the cost- as little as $5 and as much as $100. What happens next I don’t know.
Like I said, the vendors are ostensibly supposed to ask every buyer for their display permit. Like I said, they never do. Sangamon county only issued 87 display permits this year (there are 185,000 people in this county), so obviously those vendors are selling to people who don’t have permits. Police are coming down HARD on them.
It is illegal to buy, sell, possess or launch fireworks in the city of Springfield, which is why those little stands pop up just outside the city limits. Even if you’re issued a display permit, you’ll have to display them outside the city.
Anecdotally, biking home along Lake Michigan on the 4th, I saw hundreds of kids setting off bottle rockets and such, and cops sitting in patrol cars watching and doing nothing. Enforcement around here seems lax.
In my old neighborhood (near Argyle St., aka Little Chinatown), around Chinese New Year it was absolutely bonkers - I couldn’t sleep for days because of all the explosions. Nobody in law enforcement seemed to care.
I feel somewhat guilty, but I’m glad of the laxness. My husband and I live in the Albany Park, Kedzie/Lawrence area and went up on our roof the 4th, after dark. From about 9:30pm to 11+pm, we had a 360 degreee view of non-stop fireworks near and far. There were so many we didn’t know where to look and were afraid of whiplash, we were jerking our necks around so much trying to see it all. We even got to see a professional display. It was northwest of us, so I don’t know if it was Skokie’s, or Evanston’s, or a particularly expensive neighborhood event. The night was clear and mild, there was a cool breeze, and it’s the best 4th of July we’ve ever had.
I love fireworks. I’m sorry they cause problems, big and small, for people, but I’m a fireworks junkie. We moved here after the 4th last year, so had no idea how crazy/wonderful/fantastic it would be. Next year we’re gonna throw a (small) party on the roof!
Oooh, when’s the best time and place to see them? We’ve never gone. Would standing on the el platform get a good view? Sorry about your sleep though.
