Theme Park Inspection Bill OKd by Committee, Heads to Full Senate

A state Senate measure to inspect permanent theme parks twice a year cleared a key committee Thursday and will head to the full Senate for a vote next week.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Don Perata (D-Alameda), calls for more frequent visits by state inspectors than a measure in the Assembly, which also will vote next week on its version.

Both Perata’s bill and the measure sponsored by Assemblyman Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch) would require theme parks to report serious accidents to the state. Consumers would have access to the accident information.

The effort to bring state oversight to permanent amusement parks follows a Christmas Eve accident at Disneyland that killed a Washington state man and severely injured his wife and a park worker.

Traveling carnivals have long been inspected by the state, but California is one of only 12 states that do not regulate permanent amusement rides.

Three Republican state senators voted against the Perata bill, including Ross Johnson (R-Irvine). Johnson said permanent parks are different and do not need state oversight.

“They have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in their rides, and they are inspected on a regular basis by their own employees, who understand the sophisticated, often computerized, rides,” Johnson said. “They do that to protect the public, their employees and their investment.”

Johnson maintains that state inspections would not have prevented the Christmas Eve accident. A Cal/OSHA report cited the park for misuse of equipment, which it said an inspection might have uncovered, and inadequate employee training.