33-6-101. Carnivals and circuses; license required; safety inspection.

(a) No person shall open any circus or carnival entertainment if any entrance fee or fee for carnival or circus rides is charged or collected, without first obtaining a license as required by this act provided that nothing in this act shall prohibit a licensing authority from refusing to issue any license authorized by this act in the sole discretion of the governing body.

(b) Before issuing any license under this act to any circus or carnival specified under subsection (a) of this section, the board of county commissioners for any county and the governing body of any city or town may require and provide for the inspection of the safety of the applicant's facilities, equipment, rides or other structures which are for public use. Public use of any facility, equipment, ride or other structure determined unsafe following inspection is prohibited until the unsafe condition is corrected, repaired or otherwise modified. Failure of the applicant to make necessary corrections, repairs or modifications pursuant to this subsection shall be grounds for disapproval of the license application under this act.

(c) As used in this act:

(i) "Carnival" means any traveling enterprise offering a variety of rides and amusements to the public for a fee;

(ii) "Circus" means a tent-covered or open air arena used for providing public entertainment at a charge and generally featuring feats of physical skill and daring, wild animal acts and performances by clowns;

(iii) "This act" means W.S. 33-6-101 through 33-6-104.

(d) The issuance of a license pursuant to this act shall not relieve any licensee from acting with reasonable care in the operation or maintenance of a circus or carnival. The licensing authority as a condition of issuing a license under this section, shall require a licensee to provide proof of liability insurance coverage of a minimum amount of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) at the time of issuing the license and to indemnify, defend and save harmless the city, town or county from any and all claims, demands, actions or causes of action arising from the negligent acts or omission of the carnival or circus. All licensees must maintain liability insurance while operating within the state of Wyoming.