Senate Bill No. 186
Public Act No. 21-38
AN ACT ALLOWING PERSONS SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR
OLDER TO OPERATE RIDES AT AMUSEMENT PARKS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 29-133 of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
When used in sections 29-134 to [29-142] 29-143b, inclusive, as
amended by this act:
(1) "Amusement" means any circus or carnival presented in the open,
including a place where one or more rides or devices capable of
accommodating one or more passengers and normally requiring the
supervision or services of [an] a ride or device operator are presented
for amusement or entertainment purposes, and any circus, carnival or
other portable show or exhibition presented under any single tent, air-
supported plastic or fabric or other portable shelter, and involving the
assembly of one hundred or more persons. "Amusement" does not
include an inflatable device leased for private residential use;
(2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Consumer
Protection;
(3) "Insurance Commissioner" means the state Insurance Senate Bill No. 186
Public Act No. 21-38 2 of 3
Commissioner;
(4) "Grandstand" means any structure, either with or without a roof,
providing seating for one hundred or more persons;
(5) "Owner" means the proprietor, operator, agent or possessor of
such amusement;
(6) "Tent" means any structure with or without side panels having
wood or metal supports and using any kind of a textile or similar
material for coverage, and having a capacity sufficient to shelter one
hundred or more persons or covering a ground area of more than one
thousand two hundred square feet; [.]
(7) "Ride or device operator" means the person in charge of a
mechanical amusement ride or device who causes such ride or device to
operate and has direct control of the starting, stopping or speed of a
mechanical amusement ride or device; and
(8) "Carnival" means a transient enterprise that offers portable
mechanical amusement rides or devices for public amusement and
entertainment purposes, but excluding any enterprise that offers the
lease of inflatable devices for private residential use.
Sec. 2. Section 29-143b of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
(a) Nothing in section 29-133, as amended by this act, or 29-136 shall
be construed to preclude the hiring of a ride or device operator under
the age of eighteen to operate amusement rides and devices at a location
other than a carnival, provided (1) any such amusement ride or device
operator is at least sixteen years of age, and (2) an adult of at least
eighteen years of age who is trained in normal operating and emergency
procedures supervises the area containing such amusement rides and
devices. Senate Bill No. 186
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(b) Nothing in section 29-133, as amended by this act, or 29-136 shall
be construed to preclude the hiring of certified lifeguards under the age
of eighteen to oversee aquatic rides and devices such as pools, water
slides, lazy rivers, or interactive aquatic play devices, provided an adult
of at least eighteen years of age who is trained in normal operating and
emergency procedures supervises the area containing such aquatic rides
or devices.