Lawmakers consider using drones against illegal aerial fireworks

Video recordings made by unmanned airborne drones could be used to establish probable cause for law enforcement arrests in illegal fireworks cases under a bill introduced by 19 members of the state House of Representatives.

House Bill 550 would allow law enforcement agencies to make video recordings using unmanned aerial vehicles to establish probable cause for arrest under the state’s Fireworks Control Law. The aerial device would need to record video directly above a public park, street, sidewalk, easement or any public property, and the act leading to arrest would need to be committed on a public street, sidewalk or public property.

The bill also would appropriate $1 million to the state Department of Law Enforcement to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles needed to monitor the use of illegal fireworks.

The measure comes in the wake of the New Year’s Eve fireworks explosion that claimed the lives of four people, including a 3-year-old boy, and injured more than 20 in a residential area of Aliamanu, Oʻahu.

In his third State of the State address on Tuesday, Gov. Josh Green pledged to continue working with the Legislature to curb illegal fireworks.

“If we are going to prevent deadly incidents involving illegal fireworks like this one, we’re going to have to make the collective decision to allow only safe and legal fireworks in our state going forward,” he said.

He noted the establishment of the state’s Illegal Fireworks Task Force in 2023 to identify and disrupt supply chains. So far, the task force has seized 227,000 pounds of illegal fireworks, he said.

House Bill 550 was referred to the House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, chaired by Rep. David Tarnas of Hawaiʻi Island and vice chaired by Maui County Rep. Mahina Poepoe of Molokaʻi. And, it was referred to the House Finance Committee, chaired by Upcountry Rep. Kyle Yamashita and vice chaired by Jenna Takenouchi of Oʻahu.

No hearings had been scheduled as of Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, two bills — House Bill 187 and Senate Bill 476 — would increase fines for fireworks violations, currently set at $500 to $5,000. The bills don’t specify how much the fines would be increased.

Both bills have been referred to committees, and there were no hearings scheduled as of Wednesday afternoon.