People who set off illegal fireworks in San Francisco could soon face harsher penalties. If a new ordinance passes, first offenses will cost between $125 and $250, second and subsequent offenses would range between $250 and $750, and serious offenders could be sentenced up to six months in county jail. Supervisor Alan Wong said the current law has no teeth and no penalties for violating fireworks laws. “Right now, when people commit some of these infractions for fireworks, there is no penalty,” Wong said. “What my legislation does is it allows the police department to have a structure where they can actually sanction people for breaking the rules. Right now, if people break the rules, there is no penalty for it. What’s the point of having a law if it can’t be enforced?” The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee was holding a hearing on the issue Thursday morning. Police and fire officials spoke about the dangers and their experiences with illegal fireworks this year and during previous years. The San Francisco chapter of the SPCA and a veterans group said pets and veterans, especially those suffering from PTSD, are negatively affected by illegal fireworks. The committee could make some adjustments to the ordinance after hearing testimony and public comment. It will then be on the full board agenda for more debate and possibly a final vote in the weeks ahead. The city estimates fireworks caused more than $500,000 in property damages from 2018 through 2023. As for injuries, during a four-day period in the final year of that study, San Francisco General Hospital reported six injuries from fireworks, with one patient in critical condition and four serious injuries to patients’ hands and eyes. ...read more read less