A Florida State Senator has filed an amendment that seems to target the Walt Disney World Monorail System for inspection by state authorities.
UPDATE – 4/25/2023:
- The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that a Florida Senate committee advanced said amendment that would allow for state inspections of the Walt Disney World Monorail System.
- This amendment would place inspections of the Monorail under the control of the Florida Department of Transportation, which inspects other tram systems in Florida, including the one at Orlando International Airport.
Previously – 4/24/2023:
- While large theme parks are currently exempt from state inspection, at a meeting last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said they plan on adding theme parks within special districts to be subject to exams from the Department of Agriculture.
- Florida State Senator Nick DiCeglie filed an amendment today that would introduce new safety standards for “governmentally owned fixed-guideway transportation systems, and privately owned or operated fixed-guideway transportation systems operating in this state.”
- Fixed-guideway transportation systems undoubtedly refers to the Monorail system, which is part of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s jurisdiction.
- While DeSantis did say last week that they could add state inspections to the theme parks, it does seem as if this bill would only affect the Monorail system.
- You can read the full pertinent text from this amendment below:
“The department shall adopt by rule minimum safety standards for governmentally owned fixed-guideway transportation systems, and privately owned or operated fixed-guideway transportation systems operating in this state which are financed wholly or partly by state funds, and any governmentally or privately owned fixed-guideway transportation systems operating in this state which are located within an independent special district created by local act which have boundaries within two contiguous counties. Standards must be site-specific for fixed-guideway transportation systems and shall be developed jointly by the department and representatives of the affected systems, giving full consideration to nationwide industry safety norms relating to the development and operation of fixed guideway transportation systems. The department shall conduct structural safety inspections in adherence with s. 335.074 for any fixed-guideway transportation systems that are raised or have bridges, as appropriate. Inspectors must follow departmental safety protocols during safety inspections, including requiring the suspension of system service to ensure safety and welfare of inspectors and the traveling public during such inspections.”