State v. Windy City Fireworks, Inc.

Seven years ago, in a unanimous decision, this Court held that retail fireworks dealers could not avoid prosecution for selling illegal fireworks, simply by asking purchasers to sign a statement to the effect that they were nonresidents who were going to immediately ship the illegal fireworks out of state. Hill v. State (1986), Ind., 488 N.E.2d 709.

The General Assembly has since enacted modest amendments to the fireworks statute, Ind.Code Ann. § 22-11-14-1 to -10 (West 1991) without abandoning, in our judgment, its manifest desire to reduce the number of children and adults burned or injured…