Senate committee hears ‘Lizzie’s Law’ to tighten safety rules for inflatable bounce houses

Assemblymember Tracy Brown May and families affected by a fatal bounce-house accident urged the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor to pass Assembly Bill 198, a measure to impose statewide safety standards on commercial inflatable devices.

The bill, presented in Carson City with remote participation from Las Vegas, would require operators to hold a business license and liability coverage of at least $1 million, keep an inspection log (paper or digital) and record the results of pre-use checks, use an anemometer to measure wind speed and follow manufacturers’ wind recommendations or a 15 mph fallback, and secure devices with either weights or noncorrosive metal stakes of specified length. “We do believe it was preventable,” Wendy Hammond told the committee, describing the 2019 death of her 9-year-old daughter, Lizzie, after a gust lofted a bounce house into power lines.

Why this matters: supporters and some industry representatives said the measure targets unlicensed, uninsured operators and would spread Clark County’s existing rules statewide. Assemblymember Tracy Brown May said the bill adapts Clark County regulations into proposed Nevada Revised Statutes so counties and the state share a consistent baseline.

Details of the proposal and testimony

Assemblymember Tracy Brown May (sponsor) framed the measure as a public-safety response informed by the Hammond family’s loss. Mitch and Wendy Hammond described the March 2019 party where a gust lifted an inflatable and left their daughter unresponsive; Wendy Hammond said first responders had to wait for a power company to cut power and for a ladder tall enough to reach the device. “We called 911. We were told it was about 15 minutes that she hung in the power lines,” she said.

Elliot Mallon, a bill presenter, summarized the bill’s sections: business licensing and $1 million insurance minimum; a logbook for each device that documents inspections and any discontinuation of use; inspection rules tied to manufacturers’ manuals; a requirement to use an anemometer and to halt use when wind exceeds manufacturer guidance or 15 mph if no guidance exists; and a requirement for conspicuous warning signage. Mallon said the bill allows local governments to adopt enforcement regulations.

Industry groups and some Clark County operators testified in support after amendments. Matt Morris, an attorney with Holland & Hart representing Party Jumpers LLC, said amended language would “meaningfully disincentivize illicit and unlicensed operators without punishing those in the industry who are committed to prioritizing safety.” Several small-business witnesses representing long-standing event- and children-entertainment providers also supported the amended bill, saying it protects families while allowing licensed companies to continue operating.

Committee members pressed for implementation details. Senator Lang asked whether certificates of insurance should be required at the time of rental; Mallon said operators in Clark County commonly provide or check insurance and that the draft could be revised to require disclosure at rental. Senator Steinbeck asked whether an anemometer would remain with operators or be left with the renter; Mallon said operators would train renters to use the device so the operator would not have to remain on site for every event. Senator Daley urged greater specificity for allowable water weights so containers cannot tip and create secondary hazards.

Legal and regulatory context

Supporters said Clark County already has development-code provisions addressing inflatables and the bill is intended to make similar standards statewide by creating Nevada Revised Statute provisions anchored to manufacturers’ instructions and local enforcement options. Presenters cited U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and other studies on injuries tied to inflatable amusements and said wind-related incidents have caused injuries and deaths in other states.

What the bill does not yet decide

The committee did not take a roll-call vote in the hearing recorded in the transcript. Several technical specifics — for example, whether rental contracts must include a certificate of insurance and precise minimum weight thresholds for anchors — were discussed as items for amendment and for local regulation where appropriate. Supporters said the bill already contains language allowing counties to adopt enforcement rules.

Ending

Proponents said the bill is designed to reduce the number of incidents caused when inflatables are improperly secured or used in higher winds while preserving business flexibility. Assemblymember Brown May closed by thanking the Hammond family for sharing their story and asked the committee to consider the amended language.