(A) The license of a manufacturer of fireworks is effective for one year beginning on the first day of December, and the state fire marshal shall issue or renew a license only on that date and at no other time. If a manufacturer of fireworks wishes to continue manufacturing fireworks at the designated fireworks plant after its then effective license expires, it shall apply no later than the first day of October for a new license pursuant to section 3743.02 of the Revised Code. The state fire marshal shall send a written notice of the expiration of its license to a licensed manufacturer at least three months before the expiration date.

(B) If, during the effective period of its licensure, a licensed manufacturer of fireworks wishes to construct, locate, or relocate any buildings or other structures on the premises of its fireworks plant, to make any structural change or renovation in any building or other structure on the premises of its fireworks plant, to change the nature of its manufacturing of fireworks so as to include the processing of fireworks, or to relocate its fireworks plant to a new licensed premises, the manufacturer shall notify the state fire marshal in writing. The state fire marshal may require a licensed manufacturer also to submit documentation, including, but not limited to, plans covering the proposed construction, location, relocation, structural change or renovation, change in manufacturing of fireworks, or new licensed premises, if the state fire marshal determines the documentation is necessary for evaluation purposes in light of the proposed construction, location, relocation, structural change or renovation, change in manufacturing of fireworks, or new licensed premises.

Upon receipt of the notification and additional documentation required by the state fire marshal, the state fire marshal shall inspect the existing premises of the fireworks plant, or proposed new licensed premises, to determine if the proposed construction, location, relocation, structural change or renovation, change in manufacturing of fireworks, or new licensed premises conform to sections 3743.02 to 3743.08 of the Revised Code and the rules adopted by the state fire marshal pursuant to section 3743.05 of the Revised Code. The state fire marshal shall issue a written authorization to the manufacturer for the construction, location, relocation, structural change or renovation, change in manufacturing of fireworks, or new licensed premises, if the state fire marshal determines, upon the inspection and a review of submitted documentation, that the construction, location, relocation, structural change or renovation, change in manufacturing of fireworks, or new licensed premises conform to those sections and rules. Upon authorizing a change in manufacturing of fireworks to include the processing of fireworks, the state fire marshal shall make notations on the manufacturer’s license and in the list of licensed manufacturers in accordance with section 3743.03 of the Revised Code.

On or before June 1, 1998, a licensed manufacturer shall install, in every licensed building in which fireworks are manufactured, stored, or displayed and to which the public has access, interlinked fire detection, smoke exhaust, and smoke evacuation systems that are approved by the superintendent of industrial compliance, and shall comply with floor plans showing occupancy load limits and internal circulation and egress patterns that are approved by the state fire marshal and superintendent, and that are submitted under seal as required by section 3791.04 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding section 3743.59 of the Revised Code, the construction and safety requirements established in this division are not subject to any variance, waiver, or exclusion.

(C) The license of a manufacturer of fireworks authorizes the manufacturer to engage only in the following activities:

(1) The manufacturing of fireworks on the premises of the fireworks plant as described in the application for licensure or in the notification submitted under division (B) of this section, except that a licensed manufacturer shall not engage in the processing of fireworks unless authorized to do so by its license.

(2) To possess for sale at wholesale and sell at wholesale the fireworks manufactured by the manufacturer, to persons who are licensed wholesalers of fireworks, to persons in accordance with sections 3743.44 to 3743.46 of the Revised Code, or to persons located in another state provided the fireworks are shipped directly out of this state to them by the manufacturer. A person who is licensed as a manufacturer of fireworks on June 14, 1988, also may possess for sale and sell pursuant to division (C)(2) of this section fireworks other than those the person manufactures. The possession for sale shall be on the premises of the fireworks plant described in the application for licensure or in the notification submitted under division (B) of this section, and the sale shall be from the inside of a licensed building and from no other structure or device outside a licensed building. At no time shall a licensed manufacturer sell any class of fireworks outside a licensed building.

(3) Possess for sale at retail and sell at retail the fireworks manufactured by the manufacturer, other than 1.4G fireworks as designated by the state fire marshal in rules adopted pursuant to division (A) of section 3743.05 of the Revised Code, to licensed exhibitors in accordance with sections 3743.50 to 3743.55 of the Revised Code, and possess for sale at retail and sell at retail the fireworks manufactured by the manufacturer, including 1.4G fireworks, to persons in accordance with sections 3743.44 to 3743.46 of the Revised Code, or to persons located in another state provided the fireworks are shipped directly out of this state to them by the manufacturer. A person who is licensed as a manufacturer of fireworks on June 14, 1988, may also possess for sale and sell pursuant to division (C)(3) of this section fireworks other than those the person manufactures. The possession for sale shall be on the premises of the fireworks plant described in the application for licensure or in the notification submitted under division (B) of this section, and the sale shall be from the inside of a licensed building and from no other structure or device outside a licensed building. At no time shall a licensed manufacturer sell any class of fireworks outside a licensed building.

A licensed manufacturer of fireworks shall sell under division (C) of this section only fireworks that meet the standards set by the consumer product safety commission or by the American fireworks standard laboratories or that have received an EX number from the United States department of transportation.

(D) The license of a manufacturer of fireworks shall be protected under glass and posted in a conspicuous place on the premises of the fireworks plant. Except as otherwise provided in this division, the license is not transferable or assignable.

(1) The ownership of a manufacturer of fireworks license may be transferred to another person for the same fireworks plant for which the license was issued, or approved pursuant to division (B) of this section, if the assets of the plant are transferred to that person by inheritance or by a sale approved by the state fire marshal.

(2) The license of a manufacturer of fireworks may be geographically relocated in accordance with division (D) of section 3743.75 of the Revised Code.

(3) The license is subject to revocation in accordance with section 3743.08 of the Revised Code.

(E) The state fire marshal shall not place the license of a manufacturer of fireworks in a temporarily inactive status while the holder of the license is attempting to qualify to retain the license.

(F) Each licensed manufacturer of fireworks that possesses fireworks for sale and sells fireworks under division (C) of section 3743.04 of the Revised Code, or a designee of the manufacturer, whose identity is provided to the state fire marshal by the manufacturer, annually shall attend a continuing education program. The state fire marshal shall develop the program and the state fire marshal or a person or public agency approved by the state fire marshal shall conduct it. A licensed manufacturer or the manufacturer’s designee who attends a program as required under this division, within one year after attending the program, shall conduct in-service training as approved by the state fire marshal for other employees of the licensed manufacturer regarding the information obtained in the program. A licensed manufacturer shall provide the state fire marshal with notice of the date, time, and place of all in-service training. For any program conducted under this division, the state fire marshal shall, in accordance with rules adopted by the state fire marshal under Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, establish the subjects to be taught, the length of classes, the standards for approval, and time periods for notification by the licensee to the state fire marshal of any in-service training.

(G) A licensed manufacturer shall maintain comprehensive general liability insurance coverage in the amount and type specified under division (B)(2) of section 3743.02 of the Revised Code at all times. Each policy of insurance required under this division shall contain a provision requiring the insurer to give not less than fifteen days’ prior written notice to the state fire marshal before termination, lapse, or cancellation of the policy, or any change in the policy that reduces the coverage below the minimum required under this division. Prior to canceling or reducing the amount of coverage of any comprehensive general liability insurance coverage required under this division, a licensed manufacturer shall secure supplemental insurance in an amount and type that satisfies the requirements of this division so that no lapse in coverage occurs at any time. A licensed manufacturer who secures supplemental insurance shall file evidence of the supplemental insurance with the state fire marshal prior to canceling or reducing the amount of coverage of any comprehensive general liability insurance coverage required under this division.

(H) The state fire marshal shall adopt rules for the expansion or contraction of a licensed premises and for approval of such expansions or contractions. The boundaries of a licensed premises, including any geographic expansion or contraction of those boundaries, shall be approved by the state fire marshal in accordance with rules the state fire marshal adopts. If the licensed premises consists of more than one parcel of real estate, those parcels shall be contiguous unless an exception is allowed pursuant to division (I) of this section.

(I)(1) A licensed manufacturer may expand its licensed premises within this state to include not more than two storage locations that are located upon one or more real estate parcels that are noncontiguous to the licensed premises as that licensed premises exists on the date a licensee submits an application as described below, if all of the following apply:

(a) The licensee submits an application to the state fire marshal and an application fee of one hundred dollars per storage location for which the licensee is requesting approval.

(b) The identity of the holder of the license remains the same at the storage location.

(c) The storage location has received a valid certificate of zoning compliance as applicable and a valid certificate of occupancy for each building or structure at the storage location issued by the authority having jurisdiction to issue the certificate for the storage location, and those certificates permit the distribution and storage of fireworks regulated under this chapter at the storage location and in the buildings or structures. The storage location shall be in compliance with all other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

(d) Every building or structure located upon the storage location is separated from occupied residential and nonresidential buildings or structures, railroads, highways, or any other buildings or structures on the licensed premises in accordance with the distances specified in the rules adopted by the state fire marshal pursuant to section 3743.05 of the Revised Code.

(e) Neither the licensee nor any person holding, owning, or controlling a five per cent or greater beneficial or equity interest in the licensee has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a felony under the laws of this state, any other state, or the United States, after September 29, 2005.

(f) The state fire marshal approves the application for expansion.

(2) The state fire marshal shall approve an application for expansion requested under division (I)(1) of this section if the state fire marshal receives the application fee and proof that the requirements of divisions (I)(1)(b) to (e) of this section are satisfied. The storage location shall be considered part of the original licensed premises and shall use the same distinct number assigned to the original licensed premises with any additional designations as the state fire marshal deems necessary in accordance with section 3743.03 of the Revised Code.

(J)(1) A licensee who obtains approval for the use of a storage location in accordance with division (I) of this section shall use the storage location exclusively for the following activities, in accordance with division (C) of this section:

(a) The packaging, assembling, or storing of fireworks, which shall only occur in buildings or structures approved for such hazardous uses by the building code official having jurisdiction for the storage location or, for 1.4G fireworks, in containers or trailers approved for such hazardous uses by the state fire marshal if such containers or trailers are not subject to regulation by the building code adopted in accordance with Chapter 3781 of the Revised Code. All such storage shall be in accordance with the rules adopted by the state fire marshal under division (G) of section 3743.05 of the Revised Code for the packaging, assembling, and storage of fireworks.

(b) Distributing fireworks to other parcels of real estate located on the manufacturer’s licensed premises, to licensed wholesalers or other licensed manufacturers in this state or to similarly licensed persons located in another state or country;

(c) Distributing fireworks to a licensed exhibitor of fireworks pursuant to a properly issued permit in accordance with section 3743.54 of the Revised Code.

(2) A licensed manufacturer shall not engage in any sales activity, including the retail sale of fireworks otherwise permitted under division (C)(2) or (C)(3) of this section, or pursuant to section 3743.44 or 3743.45 of the Revised Code, at the storage location approved under this section.

(3) A storage location may not be relocated for a minimum period of five years after the storage location is approved by the state fire marshal in accordance with division (I) of this section.

(K) The licensee shall prohibit public access to the storage location. The state fire marshal shall adopt rules to describe the acceptable measures a manufacturer shall use to prohibit access to the storage site.