ASSEMBLYMAN WILL REINTRODUCE THEME PARK BILL; REGULATIONS WOULD AFFECT SIX FLAGS.

Byline: Associated Press 

Permanent amusement parks in California, including Six Flags California, Valencia, would undergo periodic inspections of rides, have safety training and record all on-site accidents under legislation being proposed this week.

The state enforces none of these conditions on permanent theme parks - only on traveling carnivals, bungee jumps and ski lifts.

It will be the second time Assemblyman Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, has introduced theme park legislation. The first time, in 1997 after a Northern California girl died in a water slide accident, got stuck in committee.

But that was before a metal cleat came loose from a Disneyland ride and flew into a crowd in December. A Duvall, Wash., man suffered head injuries and died two days later. His wife and a park employee also were injured.

``Apparently the climate has changed significantly due to the recent accident on Christmas Eve at Disneyland,'' Gary Gartner, Torlakson's press secretary, said Monday. ``There appears to be support for legislation.''

``This may be the time where people . . . pull together and craft legislation that is effective and workable for California,'' he said.

Torlakson will introduce the bill in the Assembly this week, Gartner said. The legislator was expected to announce his plans at a news conference Tuesday at the Santa Monica Pier, which has an amusement park.

According to the California Research Bureau, California, eight other states and the District of Columbia do not have laws governing the inspection of permanent amusement park rides.

In 1968, state lawmakers passed a bill that regulated amusement rides except those that are permanent. Since then, several legislators have tried to pass legislation to have that exemption lifted. Parks such as Disneyland lobbied against those bills, arguing they had their own safety procedures and shouldn't be subjected to more oversight.

In 1997, Torlakson's bill came one vote short and died in the Assembly labor and employment committee.

Now that Torlakson is reintroducing theme park legislation, Disneyland and other parks seem to have had a change of heart.

``We will work with Tom Torlakson or any other legislator or any other members of the industry if that's the case to help craft appropriate legislation,'' said Ray Gomez, a park spokesman. ``It's something that our guests and public at large are saying would make them more comfortable in coming to a theme park, and if that's the case, then we're willing to support it.''

Also in support is Jack Falfas, general manager of Knott's Berry Farm. That park, which also opposed state oversight in the past, was purchased by Ohio-based amusement park company Cedar Fair in late 1997. Falfas helped construct legislation to oversee parks in Ohio while working for the company.

``We have no objections to anything that might enhance our operations, and we are interested in the opportunity to review any proposed new programs or procedures,'' Falfas said in a statement.

Timothy Chanaud, spokesman for Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara, said he thinks the Christmas Eve accident at Disneyland made parks more aware of safety issues.

``The state inspection process would provide an extra set of eyes . . . to work with us to ensure that we continue to provide a high level of safety.''

Though the theme parks say they support ``workable'' regulations, Torlakson's bill can expect a fight in the Assembly, including from Assemblyman Dick Ackerman, R-Fullerton.

``I haven't seen the need that shows there is a great state urgency to get involved in regulating amusement parks,'' Ackerman said.