Bill would privatize elevator, amusement ride inspections

The Business and Labor Committee heard testimony Feb. 28 on a bill that would makes changes to laws governing the inspection of amusement rides and elevators in Nebraska.

LB594, introduced by Holdrege Sen. Tom Carlson, would privatize inspections under the Nebraska Amusement Ride Act and the Conveyance Act and would repeal both laws on Jan. 1, 2013.

Employees of the state Department of Labor currently conduct inspections of amusement rides and elevators in the state.

Under LB594, the commissioner of labor would be required to develop regulations regarding annual certification of qualified inspectors of amusement rides including a fee schedule. Beginning July 1, 2011, inspections no longer would be performed by Department of Labor employees.

The bill also would make changes to the Conveyance Act, which governs elevator inspections.

Among other provisions, the bill would:

• require a permit to install an elevator;
• exempt elevators in private residences from inspection;
• place responsibility for inspection on the owner of the conveyance;
• increase penalties for violating the act from a class V to a class I misdemeanor; and
• allow the commissioner to contract with qualified elevator inspectors to perform inspections under the act.

Beginning July 1, 2011, elevator inspections would be performed by private inspectors licensed by the state. The Conveyance Act would be repealed on Jan. 1, 2013.

Carlson said the bill is the result of examining ways to ease the state’s budget crisis and would both save money and reduce the size of government.

“We’re forced to consider options that, at other times, we maybe wouldn’t,” he said.

Commissioner of Labor Catherine Lang testified in support of the bill, saying the current elevator inspection program is operating at a deficit and has a backlog of inspections. Fixing the existing program would require hiring more inspectors or increasing fees, Lang said, neither of which is a viable alternative in the state’s current fiscal environment.

Randy Johnson, an elevator inspector with the state Department of Labor, testified in opposition to the bill. He said private elevator inspections can cost as much as $600 and would be a burden to small business owners.

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.