PRINTER'S NO. 2982
No. 2160 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY BELFANTI, PHILLIPS, FAIRCHILD, STABACK, GOODMAN,
SIPTROTH, HENNESSEY, LEH, BEBKO-JONES, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN,
FABRIZIO, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GRUCELA, LEDERER, MARKOSEK,
PISTELLA AND TIGUE, OCTOBER 31, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
OCTOBER 31, 2005
AN ACT
1 Regulating operation of paintball fields, ranges or courses and
2 rental of paintball equipment; providing for safety
3 equipment, for field requirements, for required insurance and
4 for limitations on paintball play by minors; and imposing a
5 penalty.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Short title.
9 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Paintball Gun
10 and Paintball Marker Safety Act.
11 Section 2. Definitions.
12 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
13 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
14 context clearly indicates otherwise:
15 "ASTM." The American Society for Testing and Materials.
16 "Commercial paintball field." A business that operates a
17 paintball field, range or course or rents paintball equipment.
18 "Field official." An employee of a commercial paintball
1 field who referees play and enforces safety rules.
2 "Paintball gun." A device designed and manufactured to
3 propel, by gas or air, an encapsulated gelatin paintball.
4 "Paintball marker." A device designed and manufactured to
5 propel, by gas or air, an encapsulated gelatin paintball.
6 Section 3. Safety equipment.
7 A paintball player shall use the following safety devices
8 during play:
9 (1) Goggles must be worn at all times.
10 (2) All goggles must meet or exceed ASTM standards.
11 (3) A twist-on barrel-blocking device.
12 (4) Safety on/off switches/buttons on paintball markers.
13 (5) Proper safety loaders.
14 (6) Hydro-tested carbon dioxide or nitrogen tanks.
15 Section 4. Commercial paintball fields.
16 The following apply to commercial paintball fields:
17 (1) A field official must:
18 (i) Be properly trained by the field owner or
19 through an approved field official training course.
20 (ii) Provide a mandatory preplay safety briefing to
21 players before play commences.
22 (iii) Inspect personal and rental paintball
23 equipment brought onto the field.
24 (iv) Before transporting players to the paintball
25 field, inspect player equipment and determine that the
26 equipment is safe.
27 (2) Paintball rental equipment must meet or exceed ASTM
28 standards, when applicable.
29 (3) The paintball field must have a designated safety
30 area.
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1 Section 5. Insurance.
2 (a) General liability.--A commercial paintball field must
3 carry a minimum of $500,000 of general liability insurance.
4 (b) Secondary health.--A commercial paintball field must
5 carry a minimum of $10,000 of secondary health insurance.
6 Section 6. Minors.
7 The following apply:
8 (1) A commercial paintball field may not permit a minor
9 nine years of age or younger to engage in paintball play.
10 (2) A minor who is ten years of age or older but under
11 13 years of age may engage in paintball play only if the
12 minor's parent or guardian is participating and has the minor
13 in full view at all times.
14 (3) A minor who is 13 years of age or older but under 18
15 years of age may engage in paintball play only if the minor
16 has written parental permission and authorization for the
17 commercial paintball field to obtain medical treatment for
18 the minor in event of injury.
19 Section 7. Penalty.
20 A person who violates this act commits a summary offense and
21 shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more
22 than $300.
23 Section 8. Effective date.
24 This act shall take effect immediately.
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