Is that ride closed? New Ohio bill would require amusement parks to offer status updates

**Related Video Above: State investigators at Cedar Point after ride cable snaps earlier this week

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW) — A local state representative has introduced a bill that takes the guess work out of wondering which rides are open at amusement parks across Ohio.

This week, State Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan (D-Parma) announced the Real-Time Ride Status Notification Act, which would require permanent places like Kings Island and Cedar Point to update their websites and on-site signage when a ride is not running.

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“Families spend hundreds of dollars and travel across the state to visit these parks,” Rep. Brennan said in a media statement. “They deserve accurate, real-time information so they can plan their day and avoid the frustration of walking across the park to find a ride shut down.”

The Ohio Department of Agriculture, already in charge of ride safety inspections in the state, would enforce the new act if it becomes law. An amusement park would be fined if they do not keep parkgoers properly updated.

In the statement, Rep. Brennan argued the legislation is a consumer protection measure, and that it would be no different from what we except from public transportation or airport communication teams.

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The legislation announcement comes as Cedar Point’s Power Tower ride remains closed after a cable snapped on Sunday. The park told FOX 8 Thursday that it is not clear when the ride will reopen.

As of Thursday, the status of Power Tower is not announced on the park’s website or Facebook page.

Next up, the bill is going to be assigned to committee. If the bill does make it to the governor’s desk for signage, the act would take effect a year later to give parks enough time to comply.

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