In August, a carnival ride in Bartow County collapsed after one of its legs broke.
None of the riders, which included six children, were injured, but it was an alarming moment for attendees.
Upon examination, state Sen. Bruce Thompson, R-White, found cause to amend existing state codes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“Structurally, the ride had problems,” he said. “In essence, it was worn out.”
Under Senate Bill 141, which Thompson is sponsoring, carnival ride owners would be required to successfully complete a structural and physical inspection before operating instead of automatically receiving an annual license.
The bill, which passed the Senate 53-0 Thursday, provides an extra measure of safety, he said, because carnival operators are not required to report issues to the state “unless injury or death has occurred on a ride.”
As written, the legislation would allow for the state or independent engineering firms to conduct the evaluations.
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