AN ACT CONCERNING FIREWORKS, FOUNTAINS AND NOVELTIES.

Senate
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General Assembly File No. 302
February Session, 2026 Substitute Senate Bill No. 404

Senate, April 1, 2026

The Committee on Public Safety and Security reported through
SEN. GASTON of the 23rd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee
on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING FIREWORKS, FOUNTAINS AND NOVELTIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 29 -356 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
As used in this section and sections [29-356] 29-357 to 29 -365, 3
inclusive, as amended by this act: 4
(1) "Fireworks" means and includes any combustible or explosive 5
composition, or any substance or combination of substances or article 6
prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or an audible effect by 7
combustion, explosion, deflagration or detonation, and includes blank 8
cartridges, toy pistols, toy cannons, toy canes or toy guns in which 9
explosives are used, the type of balloons which require fire underneath 10
to propel the same, firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, Roman candles, 11
Daygo bombs, and any fireworks containing any explosive or 12
flammable compound, or any tablets or other device containing any 13
explosive substance, except that the term "fireworks" shall not include 14
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sparklers, [and] fountains, novelties and toy pistols, toy canes, toy guns 15
or other devices in which paper caps manufactured in accordance with 16
the regulations of the United States Interstate Commerce Commission 17
or its successor agency for packing and shipping of toy paper caps are 18
used and toy pistol paper caps manufactured as provided [therein] in 19
such regulations. 20
(2) "Sparklers" means a wire or stick coated with pyrotechnic 21
composition that produces a shower of sparks upon ignition. 22
(3) "Fountain" means any cardboard or heavy paper cone or 23
cylindrical tube containing pyrotechnic mixture that upon ignition 24
produces a shower of colored sparks, crackling effects, whistling effects 25
or smoke. "Fountain" includes, but is not limited to, (A) a spike fountain, 26
which provides a spike for insertion into the ground, (B) a base fountain 27
which has a wooden or plastic base for placing on the ground, [or] (C) a 28
handle fountain which is a handheld device with a wooden or 29
cardboard handle , or (D) any nonexplosive and nonaerial item that 30
produces the primary effect of spinning on the ground, flashing or 31
strobing, but does not produce a report. 32
(4) "Novelties" means flitter sparklers, party poppers, novelty smoke 33
devices, snappers and novelty snakes, as such terms are described in 34
American Pyrotechnics Association Standard 87 -1A, as amended from 35
time to time. 36
Sec. 2. Section 29 -357 of the general statutes is repealed and the 37
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 38
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, no person, 39
firm or corporation shall offer for sale, expose for sale, sell at retail or 40
use or explode or possess with intent to sell, use or explode any 41
fireworks. A person who is sixteen years of age or older may offer for 42
sale, expose for sale, sell at retail, purchase, use or possess with intent to 43
sell or use sparklers , [or] fountains or novelties of not more than one 44
hundred grams of pyrotechnic mixture per item, which are 45
nonexplosive and nonaerial, provided (1) such sparklers [and fountains] 46
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do not contain magnesium, except for magnalium or magnesium -47
aluminum alloy, (2) such sparklers [and fountains ] containing any 48
chlorate or perchlorate salts do not exceed five grams of composition 49
per item, and (3) when more than one fountain is mounted on a common 50
base, the total pyrotechnic composition does not exceed [two] five 51
hundred grams. 52
(b) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection 53
shall adopt [reasonable] regulations, in accordance with the provisions 54
of chapter 54, for the granting of permits for supervised displays of 55
fireworks or for the indoor use of pyrotechnics, sparklers and fountains 56
for special effects by municipalities, fair associations, amusement parks, 57
other organizations or groups of individuals or artisans in pursuit of 58
their trade. Such permit may be issued upon application to said 59
commissioner and after (1) inspection of the site of such display or use 60
by the local fire marshal to determine compliance with the requirements 61
of such regulations, and (2) approval of the chiefs of the police and fire 62
departments, or, if there is no police or fire department, of the first 63
selectman, of the municipality wherein the display is to be held as is 64
provided in this section. No such display shall be handled or fired by 65
any person until such person has been granted a certificate of 66
competency by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public 67
Protection, in respect to which a fee of two hundred dollars shall be 68
payable to the State Treasurer when issued and which may be renewed 69
every three years upon payment of a fee of one hundred ninety dollars 70
payable to the State Treasurer, provided such certificate may be 71
suspended or revoked by said commissioner at any time for cause. Such 72
certificate of competency shall attest to the fact that such operator is 73
competent to fire a display. Such display shall be of such a character and 74
so located, discharged or fired as in the opinion of the chiefs of the police 75
and fire departments or such selectman, after proper inspection, will not 76
be hazardous to property or endanger any person or persons. In an 77
aerial bomb, no salute, report or maroon may be used that is composed 78
of a formula of chlorate of potash, sulphur, black needle antimony and 79
dark aluminum. Formulas that may be used in a salute, report or 80
maroon are as follows: (A) Perchlorate of potash, black needle antimony 81
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and dark aluminum, and (B) perchlorate of potash, dark aluminum and 82
sulphur. No high explosive such as dynamite, fulminate of mercury or 83
other stimulator for detonating shall be used in any aerial bomb or other 84
pyrotechnics. Application for permits shall be made in writing at least 85
fifteen days prior to the date of display, on such notice as the 86
Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection by 87
regulation prescribes, on forms furnished by the commissioner, and a 88
fee of one hundred dollars shall be payable to the State Treasurer with 89
each such application. After such permit has been granted, sales, 90
possession, use and distribution of fireworks for such display shall be 91
lawful for that purpose only. No permit granted [hereunder] under the 92
provisions of this section shall be transferable. Any permit issued under 93
the provisions of this section may be suspended or revoked by the 94
Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection or the local 95
fire marshal for violation by the permittee of any provision of the 96
general statutes, any regulation or any ordinance relating to fireworks. 97
(c) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection 98
may grant variations or exemptions from, or approve equivalent or 99
alternate compliance with, particular provisions of any regulation 100
issued under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section where strict 101
compliance with such provisions would entail practical difficulty or 102
unnecessary hardship or is otherwise adjudged unwarranted, provided 103
any such variation, exemption, approved equivalent or alternate 104
compliance shall, in the opinion of the commissioner, secure the public 105
safety and shall be made in writing. 106
(d) Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this 107
section shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor, except that (1) any 108
person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of subsection (a) of 109
this section by offering for sale, exposing for sale or selling at retail or 110
possessing with intent to sell any fireworks with a value exceeding ten 111
thousand dollars shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor, and (2) any 112
person, firm or corporation violating any provision of subsection (b) of 113
this section or any regulation adopted [thereunder] pursuant to said 114
subsection shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor, except if death or 115
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injury results from any such violation, such person, firm or corporation 116
shall be guilty of a class C felony. 117
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 29-356
Sec. 2 October 1, 2026 29-357

PS Joint Favorable Subst.

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The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
Department of Revenue Services Various -
Revenue Gain
Up to
100,000
Up to
100,000
Judicial Dept. (Probation) GF - Potential
Savings
Minimal Minimal
Resources of the General Fund GF - Potential
Revenue Loss
Minimal Minimal
Note: GF=General Fund; Various=Various

Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill results in a sales tax revenue gain of up to $100,000 annually
by expanding the type of fireworks that may be sold in the state to
include certain types of fountains and novelties.
The bill also results in a potential savings to the Judicial Department
and a potential revenue loss from fines to the extent the bill results in a
decrease in illegal activity related to fireworks. 1 On average, the
marginal savings to the state for a reduction of supervision in the
community is less than $600 each year for adults and $450 each year for
juveniles.2

1 Between FY 22 and FY 25, 139 offenses were recorded under CGS § 29-357 and $1,550
was collected in fines.
2 Probation marginal cost is based on services provided by private providers and only
includes costs that increase with each additional participant. This does not include a
cost for additional supervision by a probation officer unless a new offense is
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The Out Years
The annualized ongoing sales tax revenue impact identified above
would continue into the future subject to inflation. The annualized
ongoing fiscal impact associated with fines would continue into the
future subject to violations.

anticipated to result in enough additional offenders to require additional probation
officers.

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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 404

AN ACT CONCERNING FIREWORKS, FOUNTAINS AND
NOVELTIES.

SUMMARY
In Connecticut, fireworks are generally illegal unless they are
specifically permitted by law ; or a municipality, fair association,
amusement park, or trade organization or group has a fireworks display
permit from the Department of Emergency Services and Public
Protection commissioner. Current law allows anyone age 16 or older to
offer or expose for sale, sell at retail, purchase, use, or possess with intent
to sell or use certain sparklers and fountains (collectively “legal
fireworks” for the purposes of this bill analysis).
This bill (1) increases and changes the types and allowable
composition of fountains and ( 2) expands legal fireworks to include
specific types of novelties allowed under federal law.
As under existing law for most violations of the state fireworks laws,
a violation under the bill is a class C misdemeanor punishable by up to
three months in prison, a fine of up to $500, or both.
Lastly, the bill also makes technical and conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
FOUNTAINS
By law, a “fountain” is generally any cardboard or heavy paper cone
or cylindrical tube containing pyrotechnic mixture that produces a
shower of colored sparks or smoke when ignited. The bill broadens this
definition to include any (1) cardboard or heavy paper cone or
cylindrical tube containing pyrotechnic mixture that produces crackling
or whistling effects and (2) nonexplosive and nonaerial item that
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produces the primary effect of spinning on the ground, flashing, or
strobing, but does not produce a report (component of an aerial display
shell or mine).
To be legal for general consumer use under current law , fountains
must be non-explosive, non-aerial, and cannot contain (1) magnesium,
except for magnalium or magnesium-aluminum alloy; (2) more than 100
grams of pyrotechnic mixture per item; and (3) more than five grams of
chlorate or perchlorate salts per item. If more than one fountain is
mounted on a common base, the total pyrotechnic composition cannot
exceed 200 grams . For these fountains, the bill (1) eliminates the
prohibition on them containing magn esium, (2) removes the limitation
on them having more than five grams of chlorate or perchlorate salts per
item, and (3) increases the maximum total pyrotechnic composition
amount when more than one is mounted on a common base from 200 to
500 grams.
NOVELTIES
The bill allows people ages 16 or older to offer or expose for sale, sell
at retail, purchas e, use, or possess with intent to sell or use novelties
with not more than 100 grams of pyrotechnic mixture per item, which
are nonexplosive and nonaerial . “Novelties” are flitter sparklers, party
poppers, novelty smoke devices, snappers, and novelty snakes as
described in a federally adopted standard (i.e., currently, the American
Pyrotechnics Association (APA) Standard 87-1A (2018)).
These devices have basic descriptions as well as general and specific
characteristic requirements. The table below shows a brief description
for each of the devices legalized under the bill.
Table: Novelties
Group Device Brief Description
Ground Devices,
Individual

(APA Standard 87-1A
§ 3.2.2 (2018))
Flitter Sparkler A paper or cardboard tube
attached to a stick or wire that
produces a shower of sparks,
colored flame, or crackling
effect
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Group Device Brief Description
Novelties

(APA Standard 87 -1A
§ 3.2.1 (2018))
Party Popper
A device that is activated by
friction where pulling the string
or trigger activates the device
producing a noise effect and
releasing paper streamers or
confetti
Novelty Snake
A device in the form of a
pressed pellet of chemical
composition that upon burning
produces a snake-like ash that
expands in length as the pellet
burns
Snapper
A paper or plastic wrapped
device that contains silver
fulminate coated on small bits
of sand or gravel and is
activated when dropped,
producing a noise effect
Novelty Smoke Device A device that produces only
smoke

Applicable general requirements include that these devices must not
leak pyrotechnic composition during transportation and handling , and
one example of a specific characteristic requirement is that the
maximum composition weight allowed for flitter sparklers is five grams
in a finished device (see APA Standard 87-1A §§ 2.4 and 3.2.2.7 (2018)).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Safety and Security Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 18 Nay 11 (03/17/2026)