Committee advances bill clarifying amusement-ride inspections, easing notice for private bouncy-house use

Representative Dan Fister and Mark Manley, deputy general counsel for the KDA, told the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture that House Bill 56 is a technical cleanup bill intended to reduce burdens on operators and the department.

Mark Manley described several changes the bill would make, saying the measure “clarifies that when we do an inspection, that inspection is good for 365 days” and that the bill removes the requirement that owners provide a 14-day itinerary for privately hosted inflatable attractions such as backyard bouncy houses. Manley added the department will continue to inspect such equipment annually and that public events open to the general public — for example, fairs — will still require 14 days’ notice.

The bill also authorizes use of the 13B administrative process for licensed grain dealers and grain warehouses, moves the egg-license renewal date to Jan. 31, and repeals obsolete statutes related to tobacco warehouses, Manley said.

Senator Boswell asked whether the change would result in inspections whenever a private party uses an inflatable; he said the intent is to avoid imposing the 14-day notice requirement on short-notice private events while maintaining safety by preserving annual inspections. Following brief discussion, Senator Richardson moved to pass the bill; Senator Nun seconded. The committee voted and the chairman announced the bill passed unanimously and would be placed on the consent calendar. The transcript does not record an exact roll-call tally.