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News & Notes
Final Recommendations of Fireworks Task Force
The final recommendations of the Fireworks Task Force have been released. The final recommendations did not substantively change from those found in the final draft recommendations. Prior to the Task Force's final meeting FAC sent a letter outlining our concerns regarding the mandate that the final draft recommendations, and those of the Florida Association of County Attorneys (FACA), to the Task Force members. The recommendation from the Fireworks Task Force that causes the most concern is the mandate that every county designate a 25 acre parcel of land that can be used by citizens to detonate aerial devices on dates around the fourth of July and New Years. This recommendation would open local government to a significant liability and would be a public safety concern. These concerns were not addressed in the final recommendations; therefore, they still stand true. As discussed in the letter, the Task Force was given a very difficult mission to complete under such a tight time frame and we appreciate the time and effort spent by all the members, especially Commissioner Ken Welch from Pinellas County who served as an appointee representing FAC. FAC staff continues to discuss our concerns and how they could potentially be mitigated with legislative staff that will be working on this issue this session. We will continue to keep you posted as legislation develops.