Hawai’i lawmakers are pushing forward with a bill that would fund undercover sting operations targeting illegal fireworks transactions on O’ahu.
House Bill 806 would detail law enforcement officers to pose as fireworks customers in order to catch black-market sellers, said Rep. Scot Matayoshi, who introduced the bill.
“(Undercover police would) also pose as sellers to catch people illegally buying fireworks, and in that way, we can collect the evidence we need to effectively prosecute the buyers and the sellers,” Matayoshi said.
The ultimate goal of the sting operations is to send a clear warning to illegal fireworks dealers, deterring transactions before they even begin. In short, Matayoshi said, lawmakers aim to create a “chilling effect” on the underground fireworks trade and make these successful stings publicly known.
“What I’d like to do is to make normal people paranoid and concerned that they might be buying it from a police officer,” said Matayoshi.
Illegal fireworks have been a problem in Hawai‘i for years, and a catastrophic explosion in Salt Lake on New Year’s Eve has put a spotlight on the issue. Six people died, including a 3-year-old boy, and at least 10 people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Even though aerial fireworks are banned without a permit, enforcing the law is extremely tough because so many fireworks come into the state, and it’s hard to catch people in the act.
Matayoshi acknowledged these enforcement challenges but emphasized that HB 806 is a practical step forward. He noted that while stopping fireworks at ports and airports remains difficult, cracking down on the local supply chain offers a more immediate solution.
Lawmakers believe that targeting buyers and sellers already operating within the state will help disrupt the flow of illegal fireworks into communities.
During public testimony on Feb. 5, Jared Redulla, deputy director of the Department of Law Enforcement, expressed confidence in the bill’s impact.
“The operations will enhance our ability to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals who violate fireworks laws and ordinances,” Redulla said.
The bill proposes $2 million in funding over two years, with $1 million allocated for 2025-2026 and another $1 million for 2026-2027. Lawmakers say this significant investment is necessary to equip law enforcement with the tools they need to effectively carry out sting operations.
“The funding provided through this bill will support necessary law enforcement personnel, overtime costs, equipment, and operational expenses required to conduct effective sting operations,” said Redulla.
While there is no exact breakdown of costs, Matayoshi noted that expenses will vary depending on the scale of each operation. The funding amount was determined based on recommendations from the Department of Law Enforcement (DLE), which advised lawmakers that $2 million is an appropriate budget for the resources required.
“I don’t have an exact number of how much each thing would cost because it’s going to vary based on how big—how many officers you’ve got on that particular sting,” Matayoshi said. “But we were told by the DLE that this is about the right amount of money that they need.”
While HB 806 has received support for its proactive approach to combating illegal fireworks, not everyone agrees with the bill. Some critics, like Abbra Green, the executive secretary of the Libertarian Party of Hawai’i, argue that it infringes on personal freedoms.
“We have the ability to celebrate in the way that we choose,” Green said. “It’s the way that we choose to use [fireworks] that determines whether our actions are unlawful or not, not the substance itself.”
Though the debate about balancing safety, legality, and personal freedoms continues, structured and well-funded strategies like those outlined in HB 806 are seen as necessary.
“These operations are crucial for deterring illegal fireworks activities and maintaining public safety, particularly during peak periods of fireworks usage,” said Redulla.
