FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-4696

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSES LEGISLATION
TO STRENGTHEN AMUSEMENT RIDE SAFETY LAWS

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer applauded the Kentucky General Assembly on final passage of legislation that will make amusement rides safer in Kentucky.

The state Senate concurred with a substitute bill from a House of Representatives committee and passed Senate Bill 203 on Tuesday night by a 37-0 vote. The House passed the measure 98-0 on March 27. The bill now goes to Governor Steve Beshear for his signature.

“I want to thank the members of the General Assembly for the time and effort they put into this legislation,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “This bipartisan bill strengthens the state laws on amusement ride safety.”

Senate Bill 203 requires ride owners to inspect rides before opening to the public each day and prohibits anyone under 18 from operating a ride. It requires ride owners to notify the Department within 12 hours of an accident that results in death, injury requiring medical treatment other than first aid, or damage to a ride that renders it unsafe. It permits the Department to issue subpoenas in a ride accident investigation and establish civil penalties of up to $10,000, up from the current maximum of $1,000.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is required by state law to inspect every amusement ride or attraction that operates in the state at least once a year and investigate serious ride accidents. Kentucky currently has eight full-time inspectors to conduct about 10,000 inspections a year.

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