HOUSE PASSES BILL TO MODERNIZE AMUSEMENT RIDE INSPECTION FEES

State Representatives Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) and Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) have announced that the Ohio House of Representatives has passed House Bill 433, legislation aimed at modernizing the state’s amusement ride inspection fee structure.

According to Klopfenstein, the bill is not about raising fees but about fairness and sustainability within the system.

“This legislation isn’t about raising fees,” Klopfenstein said. “It’s about making sure every operator pays their appropriate share so that Ohio’s amusement ride safety program can continue to operate effectively and efficiently.”

Currently, all amusement rides—regardless of size, complexity, or inspection time—are charged the same permit fee. Lawmakers say that has forced smaller operators, such as those running inflatables and portable rides, to subsidize the cost of inspecting larger, more complex attractions like roller coasters and major amusement park rides.

House Bill 433 would create a new fee structure that better reflects the time and cost required to inspect each ride type, ensuring a fairer system for both regulators and operators.

The bill now moves to the Ohio Senate for consideration.