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Relations in Review
Randy Davis, chair, Government Relations Committee
Though legislation to extend federal jurisdiction to IAAPA members was a major focus this year, IAAPA’s government relations focus expanded across a variety of issues.
U.S. Federal Jurisdiction
Congressman Ed Markey reintroduced his legislation on May 22, 2003, to bring fixed-site amusement rides under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Now designated H.R. 2207, the legislation has little support in the house.
Although there is no bill in the Senate similar to H.R. 2207, the issue of CPSC jurisdiction over fixed-site rides was raised in a June 17, 2003, hearing in the Senate Consumer Affairs and Public Safety Subcommittee. The topic of this hearing was the reauthorization of the CPSC.
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman John McCain decided to reauthorize all agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction this year, including the CPSC. He did so as part of a broader effort to emphasize that Congress should not appropriate funds for agencies unless the agencies are authorized. On June 17, the committee held a hearing on S. 1261 to reauthorize the CPSC, and the legislation was marked up on June 19. Expansion of jurisdiction to fixed-site parks was not in the bill as reported by the committee.
Travel and Tourism
IAAPA has taken several important steps this year to become a more active participant in legislative activities regarding the tourism industry in the U.S. Perhaps the most visible step was taken on April 30, 2003, when the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection held a hearing entitled, “Travel and Tourism in America Today.” IAAPA was invited to testify at this hearing. Other panelists included representatives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the Air Transport Association, and the National Restaurant Association.
IAAPA Incident Results
The National Safety Council published the results of the 2001 and 2002 incident reporting system in its June/July issue of Injury Insights. This document is the most complete and unbiased presentation of the date, on ride safety produced to date and a copy was distributed to all IAAPA members and all Members of Congress.
New ASTM Design and Manufacturing Standard
Committee F24 of the American Society for Testing and Materials International published in June its new “World Standard” for amusement ride design.
The F24 committee has nearly 400 members, including manufacturers (20 percent), operators (35 percent), and general interest (45 percent). Members also include a dozen state agencies, including more than 20 state regulators, inspectors, and consultants. The new F2291 standard benefited from the input of this diverse group.
While F2291 was under development, the European Committee for Standardization, under the leadership of Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, was working on a comprehensive design standard (European Norm) for Fairground and Amusement Park Machinery and Structural Safety (prEN13814). Throughout the F2291 development process, European Union standards committee representatives participated in the F24 effort and F24 representatives monitored progress on prEN13814.
F2291 details specific design criteria for amusement rides and devices, but one of the unique elements of the standard is the inclusion of acceleration, or g-force, limits as Section 7 of the standard. This is the first international standard to define limits for dynamic forces on park rides.
European Tourism
On November 28 and 29, the European Commission will convene at the Second European Tourism Forum. This event will encourage the interface between European tourism stakeholders. It will bring together leading representatives from the tourism industry, including IAAPA, civil society, European institutions, national and regional authorities dealing with tourism, and international organizations. Impact assessment, taxation, and joint promotion of Europe will be the main issues of the forum.
Another important item on the agenda is the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of European tourism, which is crucial both as a contribution to sustainable development in Europe, and for the viability, continued growth, competitiveness, and commercial success of this economically important sector.
The commission will likely envisage a set of measures for strengthening the community contribution to sustaining European tourism. A future column will contain the results of the forum.
© Copyright 2003 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. All rights reserved under copyright. Use of any content contained herein prohibited without the expressed consent of the publisher.