AB 198 creates a new regulatory framework for inflatable devices used for outdoor recreation, such as bounce houses, inflatable slides, obstacle courses, and inflatable trampolines. The bill defines key terms like “inflatable device,” “operator,” and “operator business,” and then imposes licensing, insurance, inspection, recordkeeping, anchoring, wind-monitoring, and warning-sign requirements on businesses that make these devices available in Nevada.
The bill requires operator businesses to hold all applicable state and local business licenses and maintain at least $1 million in liability insurance or a surety bond. Operators must keep a logbook with inspection records for at least two years, inspect the device and site before use, monitor wind speed with an anemometer, stop use if wind exceeds the manufacturer’s recommendation or 15 mph, ensure proper anchoring, and post a detailed warning sign. It also requires that missing or illegible manufacturer labels result in permanent discontinuation and destruction of the device, and that any sale or transfer include manuals and recall information. Local governments are authorized to adopt ordinances that mirror or expand these requirements and impose civil or criminal penalties.
The bill’s impact is to amend Chapter 597 of the Nevada Revised Statutes by adding a specialized safety and licensing regime for inflatable amusement equipment and the businesses that operate it. It affects rental companies, event operators, and potentially local business licensing and code enforcement agencies, while also creating new compliance obligations tied to manufacturer instructions, recalls, and weather conditions. The law becomes effective January 1, 2026.
The general sentiment around the bill appears strongly supportive, reflected in unanimous Assembly final passage and near-unanimous Senate final passage. The bill is framed as a public safety measure, with the legislative findings specifically referencing the death of Lizzy Hammond and the Legislature’s intent to better protect the public from inflatable devices being lifted by wind.
There is little evidence of major controversy in the available record, but the bill does impose significant operational burdens that could be points of concern for small businesses, including the insurance requirement, mandatory destruction of devices with missing labels, continuous wind monitoring, and detailed documentation and signage rules. The local-option ordinance provision may also raise concern about potentially varying requirements across counties, cities, and towns, though the bill expressly allows local governments to adopt equal or stricter standards.
AB 198 amends Nevada law by adding a new set of statutory requirements governing inflatable recreational devices and the businesses that operate them. It creates licensing, insurance, inspection, recordkeeping, anchoring, wind-speed, labeling, and warning-sign obligations, and authorizes local governments to adopt matching or stricter ordinances with civil or criminal penalties. The bill directly affects inflatable-device rental businesses, operators on-site, customers, and local enforcement agencies, and it takes effect January 1, 2026.
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and a strongly favorable public-safety framing. It passed the Assembly 42-0 and the Senate 20-1, suggesting little formal opposition. The legislative rationale centers on preventing injuries and deaths associated with inflatable devices, especially wind-related incidents.
The main points of potential contention are practical and regulatory rather than ideological. Businesses may view the $1 million insurance or bond requirement, mandatory logbooks, continuous anemometer monitoring, and destruction of devices with missing labels as costly or burdensome. Local governments are also given authority to impose additional requirements and penalties, which could create uneven compliance obligations across jurisdictions. No committee transcript indicates organized opposition, but these compliance and enforcement issues are the most likely areas of concern.