Senate File 330 - Introduced



                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  BLACK


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act requiring the state fire marshal to assess the practice
  2    and impact of selling novelty lighters.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 2720XS 82
  5 rn/je/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NOVELTY LIGHTER SALES == IMPACT ASSESSMENT.
  1  2    1.  The state fire marshal shall assess the degree to which
  1  3 the sale of novelty lighters may increase the likelihood of
  1  4 accidental fire, and related injury or death.  For purposes of
  1  5 this section, "novelty lighter" means a cigarette lighter or
  1  6 other incendiary device which exhibits a design which deviates
  1  7 from the normal design of such lighters or devices in terms of
  1  8 the nature of the object depicted, such as an animal,
  1  9 inanimate object shape, firearm, or other novel or unusual
  1 10 design which is intended to attract the purchaser.  In
  1 11 conducting the assessment, the state fire marshal shall focus
  1 12 on the extent to which children and youth may be more inclined
  1 13 to pick up and utilize novelty lighters by virtue of their
  1 14 unique design characteristics, and shall make a determination
  1 15 or render an estimate regarding the number of accidental fires
  1 16 involving or started by children and youth in which novelty
  1 17 lighters may have been involved.
  1 18    2.  The state fire marshal shall prepare a report based on
  1 19 the assessment, which shall include recommendations regarding
  1 20 restrictions on the sale of novelty lighters, and shall submit
  1 21 the report to the members of the general assembly by January
  1 22 1, 2008.
  1 23                           EXPLANATION
  1 24    This bill requires the state fire marshal to assess the
  1 25 degree to which novelty lighter sales may increase the
  1 26 likelihood of accidental fire, and related injury or death.
  1 27 The bill defines a "novelty lighter" as a cigarette lighter or
  1 28 other incendiary device which exhibits a design which deviates
  1 29 from the normal design of such lighters or devices in terms of
  1 30 the nature of the object depicted and which is intended to
  1 31 attract the purchaser as a result.  The bill provides as
  1 32 examples of novel designs an animal, inanimate object shape,
  1 33 or firearm.  The bill provides that in conducting the
  1 34 assessment, the state fire marshal shall focus on the extent
  1 35 to which children and youth may be more inclined to pick up
  2  1 and utilize novelty lighters by virtue of their unique design
  2  2 characteristics, and shall determine or estimate the number of
  2  3 accidental fires involving or started by children and youth in
  2  4 which novelty lighters may have been involved.
  2  5    The bill states that the state fire marshal shall prepare a
  2  6 report based on the assessment, including recommendations
  2  7 regarding restrictions on the sale of novelty lighters, and
  2  8 shall submit the report to the members of the general assembly
  2  9 by January 1, 2008.
  2 10 LSB 2720XS 82
  2 11 rn:nh/je/5