S. 5274: Ride in Freedom Act

This bill would stop Washington, D.C. from requiring motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets.

What it would change

• It would bar the D.C. Council from passing, and the D.C. Mayor from enforcing, any rule that says a person cannot ride or operate a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle unless wearing a protective helmet.
• It would repeal an existing D.C. regulation that currently requires helmets for motorcycle riders.
• It would also amend the D.C. Home Rule Act to make clear that D.C. does not have the authority to create or enforce such a helmet requirement in the future.

What counts as a helmet under the bill

The bill uses the existing D.C. regulatory definition of a helmet, meaning one that meets the standards already set in D.C. rules.

What it would mean in practice

If enacted, adults in the District of Columbia would no longer be legally required by D.C. law to wear a helmet when riding or driving a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle, unless another applicable law still required it in a different context.

Relevant Companies

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