Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] establishes the Board of Passenger Ropeway Safety in Montana, which will oversee the registration, inspection, and regulation of passenger ropeways, such as ski lifts and trams. The board will consist of seven members appointed by the governor, including a licensed attorney, a federal land management employee, a professional engineer, a first responder, and three ski area operators. The bill outlines the board's duties, including adopting safety rules based on current standards, conducting inspections, and issuing registration certificates for passenger ropeways. It also mandates that all passenger ropeways must be registered and undergo periodic inspections to ensure compliance with safety regulations.

Additionally, the bill introduces a fee structure for the registration of passenger ropeways and imposes an assessment on the gross receipts of all passenger ropeway operations to fund the board's activities. It amends existing definitions related to skiing and passenger ropeways, clarifying that the inherent dangers of skiing do not include the safe operation of passenger ropeways. The bill also repeals a previous section of law and includes provisions for compliance enforcement, allowing the board to suspend registrations or seek court orders if operators fail to comply with safety regulations.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 23-2-702, 23-2-734
SB0556_1(1): 23-2-702, 23-2-734
SB0556_1(2): 23-2-702, 23-2-734
SB0556_1: 23-2-702, 23-2-734