Text: SSB01065 Text: SSB01067 Text: SSB01000 - SSB01099 Text: SSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. INTENT AND FINDINGS. It is the intent of the 1 2 general assembly to require that all children under the age of 1 3 fourteen wear an approved bicycle helmet when riding on a 1 4 bicycle or when riding in a trailer towed by a bicycle. The 1 5 general assembly finds and declares the following: 1 6 1. Each year hundreds of children are killed and many more 1 7 injured in bicycle-related accidents. 1 8 2. Head injuries account for more than half of all 1 9 bicycle-related deaths and emergency room visits. 1 10 3. The single most effective safety device available to 1 11 reduce head injuries and fatalities from bicycle crashes is a 1 12 bicycle helmet. Helmets have been shown to significantly 1 13 reduce the risk of head injury and of brain injury. 1 14 4. In addition to saving lives and preventing injuries, 1 15 bicycle helmets save money in avoided health care costs and 1 16 other costs to society. 1 17 Sec. 2. Section 321.236, Code 2001, is amended by adding 1 18 the following new subsection: 1 19 NEW SUBSECTION. 14. Requiring the use of bicycle helmets 1 20 as provided in section 321.435. 1 21 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 321.435 BICYCLE HELMETS. 1 22 1. Local authorities may adopt an ordinance or resolution 1 23 that regulates the use of bicycles in any or all of the 1 24 following manners: 1 25 a. Prohibits a person under fourteen years of age from 1 26 operating a bicycle, or riding on a bicycle as a passenger, 1 27 unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened 1 28 bicycle helmet which meets the standards of the American 1 29 national standards institute or the 1990 standard for 1 30 protective headgear for use in bicycling produced by the Snell 1 31 memorial foundation or another appropriate standard. 1 32 b. Requires a person under fourteen years of age who rides 1 33 on a bicycle while in a restraining seat which is attached to 1 34 the bicycle or in a trailer towed by a bicycle to wear a 1 35 helmet that meets the standards described in paragraph "a". 2 1 c. Requires a person regularly engaged in the business of 2 2 renting bicycles to provide a helmet to any person required to 2 3 wear a helmet by the ordinance or resolution who will operate 2 4 the bicycle, if the person does not already have a helmet. A 2 5 reasonable fee may be charged for the helmet rental. 2 6 2. A person regularly engaged in the business of renting 2 7 bicycles who is regulated by an ordinance or resolution 2 8 adopted under subsection 1, paragraph "c", and who complies 2 9 with that paragraph is not liable for damages for any injuries 2 10 sustained by a bicycle operator or passenger as a result of 2 11 the operator's or passenger's failure to wear a helmet or to 2 12 wear a properly fitted or fastened helmet in violation of an 2 13 ordinance or resolution adopted under this section. 2 14 3. A violation of an ordinance or resolution adopted under 2 15 this section shall not be considered admissible or material as 2 16 evidence of comparative fault under chapter 668. 2 17 4. The department of public health shall publish a list of 2 18 bicycle helmets that meet the standards described in 2 19 subsection 1, paragraph "a". 2 20 Sec. 4. MATERIALS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES. The department of 2 21 public health shall work in conjunction with the Iowa safe 2 22 kids coalition to provide bicycle safety education information 2 23 to local communities for distribution in those communities. 2 24 EXPLANATION 2 25 This bill allows local authorities to adopt ordinances or 2 26 resolutions that regulate the use of bicycles in any or all of 2 27 the following manners: 2 28 Requires persons under 14 years of age who are operating or 2 29 riding on a bicycle to wear bicycle helmets. 2 30 Requires persons under 14 years of age who ride on a 2 31 bicycle while in a restraining seat attached to the bicycle or 2 32 in a trailer towed by a bicycle to wear bicycle helmets. 2 33 Requires persons renting bicycles to the public to provide 2 34 helmets to renters for a reasonable fee. 2 35 The bill also provides that persons renting bicycles in 3 1 compliance with such a local ordinance or resolution are not 3 2 liable for damages sustained as a result of an operator's or 3 3 passenger's failure to properly wear a helmet. 3 4 The bill provides that a violation of an ordinance or 3 5 resolution adopted under the Act shall not be evidence or 3 6 comparative fault under Code chapter 668. 3 7 The bill requires the department of public health to 3 8 publish a list of approved bicycle helmets. 3 9 The bill directs the department of public health to work 3 10 with the Iowa safe kids coalition to distribute bicycle safety 3 11 education information to local communities. 3 12 LSB 1829SC 79 3 13 nh/cf/24
Text: SSB01065 Text: SSB01067 Text: SSB01000 - SSB01099 Text: SSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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