HB 488

As Introduced
136th General Assembly
   Regular Session  H. B. No. 488
       2025-2026
  Representative Brennan
  Cosponsors: Representatives White, E., Brownlee
  To enact sections 993.15 and 993.16 of the Revised  1
  Code to require an amusement park operator to  2
  implement and maintain a system that publicly  3
  communicates the real-time operational status of  4
  each of its amusement rides.  5
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
     Section 1. That sections 993.15 and 993.16 of the Revised  6
Code be enacted to read as follows:  7
     Sec. 993.15. (A) As used in this section and section  8
993.16 of the Revised Code:  9
     (1) "Amusement park" means a fixed-site amusement facility  10
open to the public for a defined or seasonal period each year  11
that contains amusement rides that are inspected by the  12
department of agriculture under this chapter.  13
     (2) "Ride status" means the operational condition of an  14
amusement ride at any given time.  15
     (3) "Real-time" means within five minutes of a change in  16
an amusement ride's operational status.  17
     (B)(1) An owner or operator of an amusement park shall  18
H. B. No. 488  Page 2
As Introduced
implement and maintain a system that publicly communicates the  19
real-time ride status of each amusement ride on the park's  20
premises during the park's operating hours. Such ride status  21
shall specify one of the following:  22
       (a) That the amusement ride is operational to indicate  23
that the ride is open and functioning;  24
       (b) That the amusement ride is temporarily closed to  25
indicate that the ride is not operating due to mechanical  26
issues, weather, staffing issues, or other temporary causes;  27
       (c) That the amusement ride is under maintenance to  28
indicate that the ride is closed for mechanical work or  29
inspection;  30
       (d) Any other ride status that specifies that the  31
amusement ride is closed and clearly indicates the reason for  32
such closure.  33
       (2) The owner or operator, when implementing and  34
maintaining a real-time ride status communication system, shall  35
ensure that the public may access the ride status of each  36
amusement ride on the amusement park's premise, at a minimum, by  37
doing both of the following:  38
       (a) Installing and maintaining digital signage that  39
depicts the ride status of each such amusement ride at or near  40
the entrance to the amusement park and at the entrance of each  41
amusement ride;  42
       (b) Displaying the ride status of each such amusement ride  43
on the amusement park's web site, any social media platforms,  44
and any mobile application maintained by the owners or operators  45
of the amusement park.  46
H. B. No. 488  Page 3
As Introduced
       Such signage and electronic displays shall be updated in  47
real-time to reflect an amusement ride's ride status.  48
       (C) No owner or operator of an amusement park shall  49
violate division (B) of this section or rules adopted under  50
section 993.16 of the Revised Code.  51
       (D) Whoever violates division (C) of this section is  52
subject to the following administrative penalties:  53
       (1) A warning for a first violation;  54
       (2) A civil fine of ten thousand dollars per day for each  55
subsequent violation;  56
       (3) Any additional corrective actions specified in rules  57
adopted under section 993.16 of the Revised Code.  58
       Sec. 993.16. Not later than one hundred eighty days after  59
the effective date of this section, the director of agriculture  60
shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised  61
Code to implement and enforce section 993.15 of the Revised  62
Code, including provisions for inspections and compliance  63
monitoring.  64
       Section 2. Section 993.15 of the Revised Code takes effect  65
one year after the effective date of this section.  66