| 3:10 p.m. Gov. Susana Martinez will seek and support legislation in this fall’s special legislative session that would give “cities, counties, and the state the authority to enact more comprehensive and total bans on fireworks during high fire-danger circumstances like we are facing now,” spokesman Scott Darnell told the Journal this afternoon.
A special session is expected in September to deal with redistricting and other issues.
A decades-old New Mexico law prohibits state and local governments from issuing a total ban on the sale and use of fireworks, though Albuquerque and other jurisdictions have banned the most dangerous types, said John Standefer, the state’s fire marshal.
Albuquerque has taken all the steps it can under the law to ban fireworks, such as barring aerial fireworks, such as bottle rockets, and “ground audible” fireworks, such as firecrackers. The city also has imposed stage II fire restrictions in the bosque and open spaces, which bars any open flames or fireworks.
The law, called the Fireworks Licensing and Safety Act, also requires local governments to issue a formal drought declaration, based on scientific data, before it can take steps such as barring fireworks from public lands, Standefer said. Check with your local city or county government to find out what fireworks restrictions apply in your area.
Posted by Linda Gaume Jaramillo on 06/29 at 07:13 AM
Category: Alerts •
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