Legislative Update

The Louisiana helmet Bill was killed by the Senate Saturday (05/08/2004). Louisiana still rides free.



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Committee passes motorcycle helmet law
posted: 05-04-2004

Motorcycle helmets could again become required in Louisiana.

The House Transportation Committee voted 10-3 on Monday for a bill
requiring all motorcycle riders to wear safety helmets, sending the
issue to the full House for more debate.

Louisiana had such a law until August 1999, when a law pushed through the Legislature by then-Gov. Mike Foster, an avid motorcyclist, took effect. The law allowed anyone over 18 to ride without a helmet if they had at least $10,000 of bodily injury insurance.

Jim Champagne, head of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, said that law was a big mistake, leading to an increase in the average number of cyclist deaths per year from 30 before the repeal to 69 after. For 2003, the number reached 79.

As happens whenever the issue is debated, each side was armed with
statistics. Opponents of the bill by Rep. Clara Baudoin of Carencro
argued there are more motorcycles on the road and that there have been more crashes.


Have I done that which I can do to the best of my ability?

HELL NO !! - but I'm trying.

Sputnik