SC legislators approve ‘Benji’s Law’

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The Legislature has given final approval to a bill setting new standards for miniature train rides following last year’s crash in Spartanburg that killed a 6-year-old boy and injured 28 others.

The House unanimously approved “Benji’s Law” this week. The Senate unanimously approved it last June. The measure will soon head to the governor’s desk.

It is named for Benji Easler, who was killed last March when the children’s ride at Cleveland Park derailed into a ditch. Investigators blamed the crash on excessive speed. The train was going 22 mph, nearly three times what was recommended.

The bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler requires such rides to have a speedometer and a device that regulates its speed below the recommended maximum. Annual inspections must include a speed test.