Fireworks are now legal for the first time in Iowa since 1937. That means they were outlawed before my dad was 5 years old. I am now 50 and they are once again legal. Well sort of anyway.
The Iowa Assembly and the Governor legalized fireworks in the State of Iowa this spring. Unfortunately they allowed cities and municipalities to set their own regulations on fireworks. Enabling them to opt-out of the law. So they might be legal in one neighborhood but not legal on the next street over if you cross any official city limits.
Also the local fire marshals are the ones in charge of issuing permits to sell fireworks. And they have no accountability. They can deny a permit if they don’t like you. Or if they don’t like fireworks even if they are legal in the jurisdiction.
This kind of nonsense is why the Iowa Assembly passed a state-wide minimum wage law this spring. To avoid the patchwork of minimum wage laws by local jurisdictions. How quickly they forget.
And this is also why the Iowa Assembly passed the “shall issue” legislation several years ago on gun permits. Eliminating the problem of local sherrifs issuing permits only to people they liked or shared a political affiliation with them.
The Iowa Assembly needs to go back and amend the fireworks law to end the patchwork of local jurisdictions and prejudices of local fire marshals across the State.
Otherwise the fireworks stores on Interstate 35 south of the Iowa border will continue to get tax revenue from Iowans buying fireworks. Legal or not.