MEGA Bill Passed in North Carolina

House Bill 559, also known as Make Elevators Great Again (MEGA), was one of six proposals signed into law in North Carolina by Gov. Josh Stein on July 7, The Center Square reports. The law gives the Commissioner of Labor the power to waive or amend the American National Safety Standards in relation to the qualifications of inspectors if the Commissioner sets “alternative standards that are reasonably equivalent.” The bill passed with only six Democrats in the Senate and one in the House of Representatives voting against and is set to be implemented immediately. The bill also repealed caps on inspection and certificate issuing fees, resulting in a new standard of US$1,000 for an expedited special inspection fee; US$500 for holiday and weekend inspections; US$300 for water slide inspections; US$250 for major amusement ride inspections; and US$100 for amusement rock wall inspections. The special fund revenues for the state will increase over the coming years and are set to be US$2.2 million this year, US$2.6 million in 2027, US$2.8 million in 2028, US$3.1 million 2029 and US$3.4 million in 2030.