Legislator Requests Draft of Theme Park Safety Rules

A Bay Area assemblyman asked state analysts Friday to draft a bill that would regulate the safety of theme parks such as Disneyland, where a patron was fatally injured Christmas Eve.

Assemblyman Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch) has not decided whether to introduce such a measure, a spokesman said.

But Torlakson is moving in that direction while gauging support for the measure from safety experts and the theme park industry itself.

“We’re trying to work with the industry to get them to help us with the legislation, rather that pushing it in their face and having them oppose it,” spokesman Gary Gartner said.

A Torlakson bill aimed at regulating theme parks died in an Assembly committee last year amid opposition from the industry.

According to documents filed with the secretary of state’s office, Walt Disney Co. lobbied on the issue and has historically opposed state regulation.

Disney has succeeded in staving off state inspection by arguing that its own safety standards are higher than any the state could devise.

A Disney official last week said the company is open to some regulation of its Anaheim theme park--if it has a say in the process.

“We want the opportunity to write legislation so it is reasonable,” Disney spokesman Ray Gomez said.

Gartner said Torlakson has not spoken with Disney officials but has support from officials at Knott’s Berry Farm and Paramount’s Great America.

California is one of 10 states that do not inspect amusement parks for safety.

The recent death at Disneyland occurred during the docking of the sailing ship Columbia. A metal cleat from the ship tore lose and struck Luan Phi Dawson, 33, of Washington in the head, fatally injuring him.

His wife and a park worker also were seriously injured.

Anaheim police have since come under criticism for waiting more than four hours before investigating the scene of the accident. Meanwhile, park employees cleaned up the site and removed evidence.

Torlakson’s request to have a measure drafted was made Friday to meet a deadline for sending nonemergency bills to the state legislative analyst’s office.

Gartner said a decision on whether to go forward with the bill could come as early as next week.