Sponsor
Ken Calvert
Representative · R-CA
Representative · R-CA
The bill makes it substantially easier to hold nationwide 2026 fireworks events and clarifies some authorities while keeping federal safety laws — but it does so by temporarily waiving many State restrictions, increasing local safety, fiscal, and regulatory risks and creating post‑2026 uncertainty unless reauthorized.
Local governments, communities, and event organizers can hold many more public fireworks displays across 2026 and leverage a nationwide semiquincentennial designation to promote participation and tourism.
Local governments, fire authorities, and officials (including federally recognized tribes) gain clearer named authority and a defined timeframe for which displays are covered, reducing some legal ambiguity about who may act and when.
Workers, first responders, and communities keep key federal safety and environmental protections (OSHA, Clean Air Act, hazardous‑materials and explosives laws, licensing and labeling rules), preserving workplace and public-health safeguards during displays.
Residents, pets, and first responders face increased fire, injury, and property-risk because State and local display restrictions and setback requirements are waived or relaxed for many 2026 events.
Businesses, local agencies, and taxpayers face sudden regulatory change or loss of the Act's waivers/programs on Dec 31, 2026, creating post‑sunset uncertainty and potential disruption for planners who rely on 2026 provisions.
Local governments and taxpayers may bear increased emergency-response, cleanup, insurance, and enforcement costs if incidents occur during the expanded display period because State rules are preempted or waived.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Temporarily waives many federal and state restrictions on conducting fireworks displays during 2026 while preserving federal manufacture, transport, workplace safety, and clean-air laws and local authority.
Official title: To provide a temporary waiver of certain Federal and State laws governing fireworks displays during the 250th anniversary year of the United States, while preserving local authority, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 30, 2026 by Ken Calvert · Last progress April 30, 2026
Temporarily waives many federal and state restrictions on public and private fireworks displays held in the United States from enactment through December 31, 2026, to enable widespread celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The law preserves federal safety and criminal statutes governing manufacture, transport, and workplace safety, and explicitly leaves local governments and tribal authorities free to regulate, restrict, permit, or prohibit displays within their jurisdictions. The waiver applies only to acts of conducting displays and possession/use of fireworks at display sites during events; it does not change rules on manufacture, sale, purchase, importation, or federal environmental and hazardous materials laws. The temporary waiver and its preemption of inconsistent state rules expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern on December 31, 2026.