Going skydiving soon?
Well, a new California law should ease your fears some.
Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 295 into law last weekend, which requires that both the person rigging the parachute and the parachutist on a tandem skydiving jump have their certifications be in compliance with all federal laws.
"It is very critically important for safety that both of those people have current federal certifications," said Nancy Drabble, CEO of Consumer Attorneys of California. "If not, you could be parachuting with anyone."
According to state Assembly floor analysis of the bill, the initial legislation was born out of the August 2016 skydiving tandem death at Skydive Lodi Parachute Center.
Since 2000, at least 10 people have died at that parachute center.
The United States Parachute Association tracks skydiving deaths nationwide. In 2016, 21 people died skydiving out of about 3.2 million jumps.
"The new law duplicates federal regulations, and USPA expects all skydiving operators to comply with these common sense requirements and understands the impetus for imposing a state penalty on those who don't," said Ed Scott, USPA Executive Director.