Indiana Lawmakers Firming Up Stage Safety Rules

Indiana lawmakers are finalizing their proposal for new rules governing temporary stages in an effort to prevent a repeat of last year’s deadly Indiana State Fair stage collapse.

A legislative committee met at the Statehouse on Tuesday to firm up the recommendations.

Lawmakers have reviewed emergency rules imposed earlier this year and international guidelines. They say they want to make sure the state doesn’t overburden smaller events with regulations more suited to large events like the Super Bowl.

The rules follow the August 2011 stage rigging collapse that killed seven people and injured nearly 60 others before a scheduled concert by country duo Sugarland.

Investigators found the rigging that collapsed didn’t meet industry safety standards and that fair officials lacked a fully developed emergency plan