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S2381Senate2015-2016 SessionSame asA3241

Provides that motorcyclists over the age of twenty-one shall be exempt from the requirement to wear a helmet when operating or riding a motorcycle

Sponsor Michael F. NozzolioSD-54+2 co-sponsorsAffects Transportation
Status
In Senate Committee
Transportation
Impact
Pending
Passage
Pending

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Transportation

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Who cares

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Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Michael F. Nozzolio

Senator · Senate District 54

Chair, Codes

History

  1. Referred to transportation
  2. Referred to transportation

Companion bill

Full text

The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.

Sponsor's memo

BILL NUMBER:S2381

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to certain motorcyclists from requirements to wear protective helmets

Purpose

This bill exempts those 21 years and over from being required to wear helmets while operating motorcycles.

Summary of provisions

Subdivision 6 of § 381 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law is amended.

Justification

The "Federal Aid Highway Act of 1975" abolished the power of the Department of Transportation to withhold highway safety funds for noncompliance with mandatory helmet laws. Since then, over thirty states now have repealed their laws. Included in this number are such neighboring states as Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, New Hampshire, Maine, and Ohio.

Some helmets severely restrict peripheral vision and significantly reduce hearing. No helmet, regardless of cost or design, is capable of resisting impact stresses above 13 m.p.h., as Federal Department of Transportation testing has evidenced, and, in lateral skids, helmets deteriorated at 1 1/2 m.p.h. Thus taking into account that survey result, the choice of when and where to wear the helmet would best be left up to the person operating the motorcycle, as is the case in the several other states.

Legislative history

S. 1953 of 2005/2006; S. 2836 of 2007/2008; S. 2403 of 2009/2010; S. 2974 of 2011/2012; S. 1900 of 2013/2014

Fiscal implications

None to the state.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the 45th day after it shall have become a law.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.