BILL REQ. #:  S-0152.1 

Read first time 01/13/2005.   Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation.

     AN ACT Relating to skate parks; and adding a new section to chapter 67.20 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 67.20 RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) Any person using or riding on a skateboard, bicycle, scooter, or roller skates within a publicly owned or operated skate park shall wear an approved protective helmet.
     (b) The management of the publicly owned or operated skate park may remove from or deny access to the skate park anyone violating (a) of this subsection.
     (2) For the purposes of this section:
     (a) "Approved protective helmet" means a head covering that meets or exceeds safety standards adopted by a national standards testing institute, such as the American society for testing and materials, snell foundation, or United States consumer product safety commission.
     (b) "Bicycle" means every device propelled solely by human power upon which a person or persons may ride, having two tandem wheels, either of which is sixteen inches or more in diameter, or three wheels, any one of which is more than twenty inches in diameter. For the purposes of this section, the term "bicycle" shall include a bicycle with training wheels, or any attached trailer, side car, and/or other device designed to be, and being, towed by a bicycle.
     (c) "Roller skates" means a skate with at least four wheels, whether in-line or not, for skating on surfaces other than ice.
     (d) "Scooter" means a board mounted upon or between two or more small wheels and controlled by an upright steering handle.
     (e) "Skateboard" means a foot board mounted upon four or more wheels and is usually propelled by the user who sometimes stands, sits, kneels, or lays upon the device while it is in motion.
     (f) "Skate park" means an indoor or outdoor ramp, course, or area specifically designated for the exclusive recreational or sporting use of skateboards, bicycles, scooters, or roller skates. The term does not include property used at any time as a public sidewalk, footpath, vehicle parking lot, multiple use trail, multiple use greenway, or other public way.
     (3) Nothing in this section creates a duty on behalf of owners or operators of public skate parks to enforce this section.