The New Jersey State Legislature voted today to pass HB-2360 which incurs a new set of standards for amusement ride safety including increased frequency in inspections for amusement rides following the Ohio State Fair accident a few days ago. This is just one of many new regulations for amusement rides in the state most of which are standard. However, one regulation stood out:
9.50.708: A rollback on a complete circuit roller coaster is defined as: a launched roller coaster not clearing the initial hill which it is designed to clear.
A. An amusement park in which a launched roller coaster rolls back shall be fined not less than $1,500,000 per incident and not more than $3,000,000 per incident.
B. Operators on platform of a roller coaster which rolls back while they are staffed shall be guilty of fourth degree criminal negligence, fined not less than $2000 and not more than $4000 and sentenced to not more than four months in prison.
C. Operators on platform of a roller coaster which rolls back while they are staffed and while children are on board shall be guilty of misdemeanor child endangerment and sentenced to not more than one year in prison for each child on board.
The law would essentially criminalize coasters like Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure which roll back regularly. In addition, it angers enthusiasts who are eager to roll back on Lingda Ka and its workers who have no control over whether or not rollbacks happen. The law will go into effect immediately.