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HB 488OHIOSession 136State Billin committee

Ohio HB 488 requires amusement parks to provide real-time ride status updates

Original title: Require amusement parks provide real-time ride operation status

Last action · October 8, 2025: Referred to AgricultureSponsors: Sean Brennan and 2 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

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What This Bill Would Do

operators are required to implement and maintain a public communication system showing the operational status of each ride within five minutes of any change. The rule applies to fixed-site amusement facilities open to the public, with digital signage and web or mobile displays mandated, and civil fines of $10,000 per day for repeat violations starting one year after the law takes effect.

Why it matters

Park visitors gain immediate visibility into wait times and closures across all park rides, while park operators face steep daily financial penalties and mandatory signage installation costs for non-compliance.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

amusement park owners and operators

Operators must install digital signage, update mobile and web platforms in real-time, and face civil fines of ten thousand dollars per day for repeat violations.

Directly affected

amusement park visitors

Visitors gain access to real-time operational status updates and wait-condition information at park entrances and via digital platforms.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What information must amusement parks display about their rides?

Parks must display whether each ride is operational, temporarily closed due to weather or mechanical issues, under maintenance, or closed for another clearly indicated reason.

Where must the ride status be displayed for visitors?

Parks must provide digital signage at or near the park entrance and at each ride entrance, as well as updates on their website, mobile application, and social media platforms.

What are the penalties for an amusement park failing to comply?

A first violation results in a warning, and any subsequent violation incurs a civil fine of $10,000 per day.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

2 actions

Oct 8, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Agriculture
Oct 1, 2025HouseIntroduced
Introduced

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Mandatory Real-Time Transparency for Amusement Parks

Shifts the regulatory burden onto fixed-site amusement operators to provide continuous public feeds and physical signage detailing exact ride availability.

Department of Agriculture

Connected Entities

Ohio General Assembly, Department of Agriculture

OrganizationOhio General Assembly“legislative body enacting the bill”Map →

OrganizationDepartment of Agriculture“inspects amusement rides and adopts enforcement rules”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.legislature.ohio.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance55
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level

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