093_HB1494
LRB093 09469 WGH 09704 b
1 AN ACT concerning ice skating rinks.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Ice Skating Rink Safety Act.
6 Section 5. Legislative findings and declarations. The
7 General Assembly finds and declares that the recreational
8 sport of ice skating is practiced by a large number of
9 citizens of this State; ice skating is a wholesome and
10 healthy family activity that should be encouraged; and the
11 allocation of risks and costs of ice skating is an important
12 matter of public policy.
13 The General Assembly further finds and declares that the
14 owners of ice skating rinks face great difficulty in
15 obtaining liability insurance coverage at an affordable cost
16 and that the lack of affordable insurance coverage affects
17 not only owners of ice skating rinks, but also patrons who
18 may suffer personal injury or property damage as a result of
19 accidents that occur on the premises of a ice skating rink.
20 In order to make it more economically feasible for insurance
21 companies to provide coverage to ice skating rinks at an
22 affordable rate to the owners, occurrences resulting in
23 liability to the owners should be more predictable by
24 limiting the liability that may be incurred by the owners and
25 encouraging the development and implementation of risk
26 reduction techniques. This Act should be liberally construed
27 to best carry out the purposes of this Act.
28 Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
29 "Operator" means a person or entity that owns, manages,
30 controls, directs, or has operational responsibility for an
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1 ice skating rink.
2 "Ice skater" or "skater" means a person wearing ice
3 skates while in an ice skating rink for the purpose of
4 recreational or competitive ice skating. "Ice skater" or
5 "skater" also includes any person in an ice skating rink who
6 is an invitee, whether or not that person pays consideration.
7 "Ice skating rink" means a building, facility, or
8 premises that provides an area specifically designed to be
9 used by the public for recreational or competitive ice
10 skating.
11 "Spectator" means a person who is present in an ice
12 skating rink only for the purpose of observing recreational
13 or competitive ice skating.
14 Section 15. Operator responsibilities. It is the
15 responsibility of the operator to the extent practicable to:
16 (1) Post the duties of ice skaters and spectators
17 and the duties and obligations of the operator as
18 prescribed in this Act in conspicuous places in at least
19 3 locations in the ice skating rink.
20 (2) Maintain the stability and legibility of all
21 signs, symbols, and posted notices required by this Act.
22 (3) When the rink is open for sessions, have at
23 least one floor supervisor on duty for every 200 skaters.
24 (4) Maintain the skating surface in a reasonably
25 safe condition and clean and inspect the skating surface
26 before each session.
27 (5) Maintain in good condition the railings,
28 kickboards, and walls surrounding the skating surface.
29 (6) In rinks with step-up or step-down skating
30 surfaces, ensure that the covering on the riser is
31 securely fastened.
32 (7) Install fire extinguishers and inspect fire
33 extinguishers at recommended intervals.
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1 (8) Inspect emergency lighting units periodically
2 to insure the lights are in proper order.
3 (9) Keep exit lights and lights in service areas on
4 when skating surface lights are turned off during special
5 numbers.
6 (10) Check rental skates on a regular basis to
7 insure the skates are in good mechanical condition.
8 (11) Comply with all applicable State and local
9 safety codes.
10 Section 20. Skater responsibilities. It is the
11 responsibility of each ice skater to:
12 (1) Maintain reasonable control of the skater's
13 speed and course at all times.
14 (2) Heed all posted signs and warnings.
15 (3) Maintain a proper outlook to avoid other ice
16 skaters and objects.
17 (4) Accept the responsibility for knowing the range
18 of the skater's own ability to negotiate the intended
19 direction of travel while on ice skates and to skate
20 within the limits of that ability.
21 (5) Refrain from acting in a manner that may cause
22 or contribute to the injury of the skater or any other
23 person.
24 Section 25. Assumption of risk; collisions; injuries.
25 Ice skaters and spectators are deemed to have knowledge of
26 and to assume the inherent risks of ice skating. Those risks
27 not otherwise attributable to an operator's breach of his or
28 her duties as set forth in Section 15 include, but are not
29 limited to, injuries that result from collisions or
30 incidental contact with other ice skaters or spectators,
31 injuries that result from falls caused by loss of balance,
32 and injuries that involve structures such as support columns,
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1 walls, doors, lockers, benches, railings, and other properly
2 placed structures within the building.
3 Section 30. Bar of suit; complete defense. The
4 assumption of risk set forth in Section 25 is a complete bar
5 of suit and is a complete defense to a suit against an
6 operator by an ice skater or spectator for injuries resulting
7 from the assumed risks of skating unless the operator has
8 violated his or her duties or responsibilities under this
9 Act.