1. Senate Bill No. 179–Senator McGinness
  1. Joint Sponsor: Assemblyman de Braga

CHAPTER........

AN ACT relating to aeronautics; establishing certain minimum standards for the operation of

a skydiving business; providing a penalty; and providing other matters properly

relating thereto.

 

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Title 44 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto a

new chapter to consist of the provisions set forth as sections 2 to 12,

inclusive, of this act.

Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires,

the words and terms defined in sections 3, 4 and 5 of this act have the

meanings ascribed to them in those sections.

Sec. 3. "Association" means the United States Parachute

Association or its successor organization.

Sec. 4. "Skydiving business" means a business that receives

compensation for providing a person with:

1. The opportunity to jump with a parachute from an airplane, a

balloon or any other vehicle used for navigation through the air; or

2. Training on how to jump safely from an airplane, a balloon or

any other vehicle used for navigation through the air and how to land

safely using a parachute.

Sec. 5. "Student skydiver" means a person who receives training to

skydive and has not been cleared to self-jumpmaster in accordance with

standards established by the association.

Sec. 6. The legislature hereby finds and declares that the operation

of a skydiving business affects the health, safety and welfare of members

of the general public and that minimum standards for the operation of

such a business must, therefore, be established.

Sec. 7. For the purposes of sections 1 to 12, inclusive, of this act, a

person who has not previously jumped with a skydiving business shall be

deemed to be a student skydiver unless that person produces documented

proof to the operator of the skydiving business that he has previously

skydived.

Sec. 8. 1. The operator of a skydiving business shall:

(a) Comply with the regulations of the Federal Aviation

Administration governing skydiving;

(b) Comply with safety requirements that are at least as stringent as

the basic safety requirements of the association set forth in the

"Skydiver’s Information Manual" in the form most recently published by

the association, unless the director of the department of transportation

posts a notice of disapproval of any amendment to those requirements

pursuant to subsection 2; and

(c) Provide training to a student skydiver using one of the training

options adopted by the association in the "Skydiver’s Information

Manual" in the form most recently published by the association, unless

the director of the department of transportation posts a notice of

disapproval of any amendment to those training options pursuant to

subsection 2.

2. The director of the department of transportation or a person

designated by the director shall review each amendment to the basic

safety requirements and training options set forth in the "Skydiver’s

Information Manual" and approve or disapprove of the amendment for

use in this state. If the director does not post a notice of disapproval

within 30 days after such an amendment is published, the amendment

shall be deemed approved for this state.

Sec. 9. 1. The operator of a skydiving business shall maintain on

the premises of the business a safety handbook which contains the safety

requirements that the operator will comply with in conducting the

operations of the business.

2. Upon request, the operator shall provide a customer with a copy of

the basic safety requirements of the association and the regulations of

the Federal Aviation Administration governing skydiving. The operator

shall be deemed to have complied with the provisions of this subsection if

he makes available to the customer for review on the premises the safety

handbook required to be maintained pursuant to subsection 1, or a copy

of the handbook, which contains the basic safety requirements of the

association and the regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration

governing skydiving.

Sec. 10. The operator of a skydiving business shall post in a

conspicuous location at his place of business a poster that includes the

following information in a font that is easy to read:

1. A statement that skydiving businesses operating in this state must

comply with the regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration

governing skydiving and safety requirements that are at least as stringent

as the basic safety requirements of the association;

2. A list of the equipment required to be provided to a student

skydiver; and

3. A statement that a customer may report any alleged violation of

the provisions of sections 1 to 12, inclusive, of this act to the district

attorney of the county in which the alleged violation occurred or to the

attorney general.

Sec. 11. 1. The operator of a skydiving business shall report in

writing to the association an accident that results in serious injury to or

the death of one of its customers.

2. The report must

:

(a) Be submitted to the association not later than the next business

day following the date of the accident; and

(b) Include the time and place of the accident and the circumstances

relating thereto.

Sec. 12. 1. The operator of a skydiving business who willfully

violates any of the provisions of sections 1 to 11, inclusive, of this act is

guilty of a misdemeanor.

2. Any governmental entity that has issued a license to engage in

business as an operator of a skydiving business to a person who is

convicted of violating any of the provisions of sections 1 to 11, inclusive,

of this act shall revoke that license and send notice of the revocation to

the licensee by certified mail. Such a licensee may not apply to any

governmental entity for a license to engage in business as an operator of

a skydiving business in this state for 5 years after the revocation of his

previous license.

Sec. 13. The amendatory provisions of this act do not apply to

offenses that were committed before October 1, 1999.

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