PA tent Law changes

[Robbro097]

Apparently judge is going ti stop tents from selling some stuff in pa. Sounds like the work of phantom https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/12/kaboom-pa-court-shoots-down-part-of-states-new-fireworks-law.html

[PyroManiacs]

Claims unfair competition.

Prices product with a 300% markup.

[displayfireworks1]

I read it briefly and will read it all in more detail today. It sounds like something that can be changed with a few adjustments to the new law. Speaking of the new fireworks law. Maybe Joyce Kneppy can answer. Do brick and mortars pay the same tent fee for a tent as a tent only seller?

[jknepp1954]

I read it briefly and will read it all in more detail today. It sounds like something that can be changed with a few adjustments to the new law. Speaking of the new fireworks law. Maybe Joyce Kneppy can answer. Do brick and mortars pay the same tent fee for a tent as a tent only seller?

Answer is yes. Before the change of yesterday - the initial fees were broken down like this...$4000 initial licence fee - $3000 for the License - $1000 for the application fee. Same for me or Phantom or TNT or anyone.....
Give me a few days to make further comments on this - i am still trying to wrap my head around the changes - defintely have to make new plans for the upcoming year(s).
Also BTW - this is an official CHANGE to the law - period - no other adjustments needed....
my personal opinion - I think there will be appeals filed from TNT and Keystone - the biggest tent players out there....over 200 tents from those 2 companies alone.
But that is MY opinion...so we shall see what hapens in the next few months...

[displayfireworks1]

In simple terms what changed with tent sales?

[jknepp1954]

In simple terms what changed with tent sales?

The full line tents like you seen last year is no longer legal - so tents cannot sell the roman candles, 500 gr, 200 gr cakes, planes/helicopters, artillery shell kits.
What can they sell? S&S and novelties as we always have been allowed to since 1939....

[joewad]

I smell the hint of the state making more money this way once you get to the bottom of it.

[RalphieJ]

I smell the hint of the state making more money this way once you get to the bottom of it.

And I predict more black-market "out of the trunk of a Lincoln" sales.

[displayfireworks1]

Excellent legal strategy I must say how they approached it. It could not be for competitive reasons That would have been a loser.

[PTFan]

Phantom lost their other legal arguments. The law stays, but for a technicality where you can't have an outside group (nfpa1124) being the watchdog and setting rules for tent locations, must be a pa department of some sort. For reasons of fraud. The other part of the law for brick and mortar stores stands because they drafted the rules directly into the law(copy and paste from nfpa book). Lol
Honestly don't know that much about pa general assembly to know if they have a lame duck session to quickly fix the law or if you have to wait for new elected general assembly to rewrite the law next year, witch then could be at bottom of list of things to do? Will soon see how much tnt (Wal-Mart) wants the law changed, can you imagine the fireworks they've already ordered for every pa Walmart location? Millions? Not to mention Jack from Keystone!

[displayfireworks1]

Keystone going take a beating. I think they recently purchased that company. This is all happening because they would not let me video that tent last year. LOL

[Lightningbug]

Me personally, I only deal with brick and mortar.I like to get to know the people.If there's ever a issue with any items I know I can take it back to the facility and they will take care of me because I give them all my business in case lot.Single item in non-existent to me.Im older and grew watching big box corporate take out all the brick and mortar mom and pop stores.Just how I view things.

[rreffner]

Me personally, I only deal with brick and mortar.I like to get to know the people.If there's ever a issue with any items I know I can take it back to the facility and they will take care of me because I give them all my business in case lot.Single item in non-existent to me.Im older and grew watching big box corporate take out all the brick and mortar mom and pop stores.Just how I view things.

Not a fan of an entire legislature needing to approve a law, but only takes one judge to shut it down and overrule. But I digress. I mentioned in another thread that many tents around me this year weren't selling anything airborne, they said they weren't allowed. I did find one that was selling canister shells.
This is a bummer for those that are operating tents, but its great for those who brought about the lawsuit...Phantom and Keystone.
I have learned since getting my type 54 that most distributors of 1.3 also sell 1.4, at very competitive prices, in fact often cheaper than Phantom even with their B1G2 sales. So this doesn't affect me much, but its still a bummer for a lot of folks that swing by a tent in mid june to get fireworks for the family party.

[PGH_Pyro]

it's always about the money ...
:eek:

[displayfireworks1]

It should be interesting to see how this plays out. No matter how it goes, I have to give credit to the attorneys for this brilliant legal strategy. Although a similar legal strategy was used a few years back to challenge part of the Pennsylvania workers compensation law. The state wants to be in the business of collecting fee's and wants to pass along the associated work that goes along with it to someone else. Anyone know the legal firm representing Phantom , Skyking , Et al. on this. I think we should know who they are , no matter what your option on this is.

[Kenny East]

Michigan has 3 proposals that were presented, look to change the tax and licensing procedures and costs. I sent my comments on the proposed changes to my district congressman.

Always seems like they have to over complicate every law, they usually spend a lot of time drafting the original. Then take a 5 minute shot at trying to improve or modify it.