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Written-only Opponent Testimony on House Bill 253 - Jodi Seminsky (June 2, 2020)

Summary

Written-only opponent testimony by Jodi Seminsky on House Bill 253, dated June 2, 2020, addressed to the House Commerce and Labor Committee. Jodi Seminsky writes in strong opposition to House Bill 253 and Senate Bill 72, legislation which would legalize consumer discharge of 1.4g fireworks. The testimony states that in 1998 a daughter of the writer died at the age of 12 when a fireworks rack tipped over as it launched, and that even professionals can see fireworks malfunction or misfire. It asks the committee to consider the risk of harm to body and property before voting on House Bill 253.

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“Written-only Opponent Testimony on House Bill 253 - Jodi Seminsky (June 2, 2020).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2020-06-03-commerce-labor-testimony-hb253seminskyopponent-31254d4ef7/, SHA-256 e035d3e9363327745c6c80081b8567b7ba354517c0ff80a492c7428e24133855.

Full text

                                           Jodi Seminsky
                                 Written-only Opponent Testimony
                                           House Bill 253
                                            June 2, 2020


       Chairman Manning, Vice Chairman Dean, Ranking Member Lepore-Hagan, members of
the House Commerce and Labor Committee: I write in strong opposition to House Bill 253 and
Senate Bill 72, legislation which would legalize consumer discharge of 1.4g fireworks. I write as
a cautionary voice on the dangers of fireworks and of human error. Before you vote to approve
House Bill 253, please consider what message doing so will send; consider what additional risk
of harm to body and property you are sanctioning.
       In 1998, my daughter, Lacey Seminsky, died at the age of 12 when a fireworks rack
tipped over at the time it launched. It shot through the crowd and struck my daughter in her
head. We were 420 feet away from the display. Even when handled by professionals, fireworks
can malfunction or misfire.
       Last July, a 61-year-old Toledo man died when a fireworks display he was putting on for
his neighbors tipped over and struck him in the chest. A few months prior, a 12-year-old boy in
Oxford, Ohio, found a fireworks device and lit it off thinking it would provide a bit of fun; instead,
the boy had one hand amputated and suffered damage to his eyesight. In 2016, a fire captain
who had spent 25 years rescuing and helping others suddenly found himself in need of aid
when his final few fireworks of the night launched into his face and nearly cost him his eyesight.
       These are just a few examples of how fireworks have functioned unpredictably or fallen
into the hands of ill-prepared individuals. Chairman Manning, Vice Chairman Dean, Ranking
Member Lepore-Hagan, members of the committee: thank you for the opportunity to share my
perspective on fireworks and to tell the story of my daughter, Lacey, and people like her who
have suffered from fireworks. Ohio’s fireworks laws have undoubtedly saved lives; to remove
them will put adults, children, and property at unnecessary risk. I ask you to bear that in mind
as you consider how you will vote on House Bill 253.

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