Should Fireworks Continue To Be Legal In Iowa? [POLL]
Now that the first window to legally shoot-off fireworks in Iowa has closed, should any changes be made to the law? Tell us what you think.
Discussions are currently being held in several Iowa cities on what to do about fireworks use in the future after disgruntled residents voiced complaints about the noise, smell and mess.
A nearly 80-year-old ban on fireworks ended in Iowa on May 9, 2017, when then Gov. Terry Branstad signed legislation legalizing the sale and use of fireworks state-wide from June 1 through July 8 and from Dec. 10 through Jan. 3 Under the law, cities can't prohibit the sale of fireworks, but they can restrict or ban their use altogether.
Officials in Cedar Falls, Evansdale and Waverly -- three of the largest cities in the Cedar Valley -- were among the communities that adopted ordinances that allowed the explosives to be shot off during the state-wide window, while Waterloo limited their use to five days from June 30-July 4. Other cities in Iowa -- Ames, Dubuque, Urbandale and West Des Moines, to name a few -- banned residents from shooting them off.
What do you think about the fireworks ordinance? Should your community make any changes to the fireworks law? Give us your general opinion in the survey below.