Effective - 28 Aug 2021, 2 histories
316.250. Ethan's Law — maintenance of adequate insurance required, when — definitions — violations, penalty. — 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as "Ethan's Law".
2. Every owner of a for-profit private swimming pool or facility shall maintain adequate insurance coverage in an amount of not less than one million dollars per occurrence for any liability incurred in the event of injury or death of a patron to such swimming pool or facility, including any liability incurred under paragraph (a) of subdivision (3) of section 537.348. Such owners shall be required to register with the department of public safety and provide proof of such insurance coverage at the time of registration and when requested by any state or local governmental agency responsible for the enforcement of this section.
3. As used in this section, the following terms shall mean:
(1) "Owner", the owner of the land, including but not limited to a lessee, tenant, mortgagee in possession and the person in charge of the land on which a swimming pool is located;
(2) "Swimming pool or facility", any for-profit privately owned tank or body of water with a capacity of less than five hundred patrons which charges a fee per admission and is used and maintained for swimming or bathing purposes which has a maximum depth of greater than twenty-four inches. Swimming pool or facility shall include, but not be limited to, a swimming pool on lands in connection with the operation of any type of for-profit privately owned amusement or recreational park. Swimming pool or facility does not include a swimming pool or facility owned by a hotel, motel, public or governmental body, agency, or authority, a naturally occurring body of water or stream, or a body of water established by a person or persons and used for watering livestock, irrigation, or storm water management.
4. Any owner who violates the provisions of this section shall not be permitted to remain in operation until such owner meets the requirements of this section. Any such owner who allows operation of a swimming pool or facility in violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of two hundred fifty dollars per day for each day of continued violation up to a maximum of ten thousand dollars and may be subject to liability for the costs incurred by the state or a political subdivision for enforcing the provisions of this section. In a separate court action, the attorney general may seek reimbursement on behalf of the state and a political subdivision may seek reimbursement on behalf of the political subdivision for costs incurred as a result of enforcing the provisions of this section. For purposes of this section, "each day of the violation" means each day that the swimming pool is operational and open for business and remains in violation of this section. It shall not include days that the swimming pool is not operational and open for business.
5. In addition, any owner who intentionally violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. It shall be the duty of each prosecuting attorney and circuit attorney in their respective jurisdictions to commence any criminal actions under this section, and the attorney general shall have concurrent original jurisdiction to commence such criminal actions throughout the state where such violations have occurred.
6. The department of public safety shall implement and, with the assistance of local law enforcement agencies, enforce the provisions of this section.
7. An insurance company providing insurance coverage under this section shall notify the department of public safety if any owner of a swimming pool or facility as defined in this section terminates, cancels, or fails to renew such coverage. The department may utilize local law enforcement agencies to enforce the provisions of this section.
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(L. 2008 H.B. 1341, A.L. 2021 H.B. 369)
Structure Missouri Revised Statutes
Title XXI - Public Safety and Morals
Chapter 316 - Shows, Circuses, Amusement Buildings and Festivals
Section 316.010 - County commissions may tax public shows, how.
Section 316.020 - Order levying tax as execution — sheriff to collect.
Section 316.030 - Proceeds to go into school fund.
Section 316.040 - License for shows required, tax imposed.
Section 316.045 - Penalty for delinquent payment of license tax.
Section 316.060 - Places of public amusement — construction — exit defined.
Section 316.070 - Exempted structures.
Section 316.080 - Building requirements.
Section 316.090 - Licenses not granted, when.
Section 316.100 - Penalty for violations.
Section 316.150 - Definitions.
Section 316.155 - Festival license required — exception.
Section 316.160 - Application for license — fee — contents of application.
Section 316.165 - Public hearing on application, when held.
Section 316.170 - License to issue, when.
Section 316.175 - Grounds for denial of license.
Section 316.180 - Penalty for violation.
Section 316.185 - Reasonable conditions authorized — notice of conditions, mailed when.
Section 316.200 - Rules, effective when.
Section 316.203 - Definitions.
Section 316.204 - Amusement ride safety board established — members — meetings, when.
Section 316.205 - Amusement ride safety board — powers and duties — rulemaking.
Section 316.206 - Rulemaking authority.
Section 316.210 - Amusement ride operation, qualifications — inspection, insurance, bond, permit.
Section 316.212 - Maintenance, inspection and accident records to be retained.
Section 316.213 - Portable amusement rides, itinerary to be filed, contents.
Section 316.215 - Director may enjoin operation of ride.
Section 316.224 - Political subdivisions may license and regulate.
Section 316.227 - Liability of owner and state.
Section 316.230 - Passenger to obey rules — prohibited acts — penalty.
Section 316.233 - Passenger may not ride, when.
Section 316.237 - Rules, effective, when — invalid and void, when.
Section 316.238 - Rock climbing walls, subject to amusement ride regulations, when.