Section 316.250

Title XXI PUBLIC SAFETY AND MORALS

Chapter 316

Effective - 28 Aug 2021, 2 histories   

  316.250.  Ethan's Law — maintenance of adequate insurance required, when — definitions — violations, penalty. — 1.  This section shall be known and may be cited as "Ethan's Law".

  2.  Every owner of a for-profit private swimming pool or facility shall maintain adequate insurance coverage in an amount of not less than one million dollars per occurrence for any liability incurred in the event of injury or death of a patron to such swimming pool or facility, including any liability incurred under paragraph (a) of subdivision (3) of section 537.348.  Such owners shall be required to register with the department of public safety and provide proof of such insurance coverage at the time of registration and when requested by any state or local governmental agency responsible for the enforcement of this section.

  3.  As used in this section, the following terms shall mean:

  (1)  "Owner", the owner of the land, including but not limited to a lessee, tenant, mortgagee in possession and the person in charge of the land on which a swimming pool is located;

  (2)  "Swimming pool or facility", any for-profit privately owned tank or body of water with a capacity of less than five hundred patrons which charges a fee per admission and is used and maintained for swimming or bathing purposes which has a maximum depth of greater than twenty-four inches.  Swimming pool or facility shall include, but not be limited to, a swimming pool on lands in connection with the operation of any type of for-profit privately owned amusement or recreational park.  Swimming pool or facility does not include a swimming pool or facility owned by a hotel, motel, public or governmental body, agency, or authority, a naturally occurring body of water or stream, or a body of water established by a person or persons and used for watering livestock, irrigation, or storm water management.

  4.  Any owner who violates the provisions of this section shall not be permitted to remain in operation until such owner meets the requirements of this section.  Any such owner who allows operation of a swimming pool or facility in violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of two hundred fifty dollars per day for each day of continued violation up to a maximum of ten thousand dollars and may be subject to liability for the costs incurred by the state or a political subdivision for enforcing the provisions of this section.  In a separate court action, the attorney general may seek reimbursement on behalf of the state and a political subdivision may seek reimbursement on behalf of the political subdivision for costs incurred as a result of enforcing the provisions of this section.  For purposes of this section, "each day of the violation" means each day that the swimming pool is operational and open for business and remains in violation of this section.  It shall not include days that the swimming pool is not operational and open for business.

  5.  In addition, any owner who intentionally violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.  It shall be the duty of each prosecuting attorney and circuit attorney in their respective jurisdictions to commence any criminal actions under this section, and the attorney general shall have concurrent original jurisdiction to commence such criminal actions throughout the state where such violations have occurred.

  6.  The department of public safety shall implement and, with the assistance of local law enforcement agencies, enforce the provisions of this section.

  7.  An insurance company providing insurance coverage under this section shall notify the department of public safety if any owner of a swimming pool or facility as defined in this section terminates, cancels, or fails to renew such coverage.  The department may utilize local law enforcement agencies to enforce the provisions of this section.

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(L. 2008 H.B. 1341, A.L. 2021 H.B. 369)