MISSOURI REPEALS HELMET LAW FOR MOST ADULT RIDERS

Missouri has become the 32nd state to repeal their all-rider helmet law when Governor Mike Parson (R) signed House Bill 1963 into law on July 14; a massive transportation bill that includes a provision to allow most adults to ride a motorcycle or trike without a helmet, provided they are at least 26 years old and have appropriate health insurance. 

Sponsored by GOP Representative Travis Fitzwater, H.B. 1963 goes into effect August 28, 2020, and will also restrict police from pulling over helmetless riders to check if they have the required health insurance.

            “We really feel everything in this bill has been well vetted,” Tony Shepherd, who lobbied in support of repealing the helmet law for a motorcycle rights group, ABATE for Missouri, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Other organizations supporting the measure were the Missouri Confederation of Clubs & Independents (CoC), and Freedom of the Road Riders of Missouri (FORR-MO), which has been lobbying to repeal the “Show Me” state’s helmet law for decades, successfully getting a bill on their governor’s desk four times since 1999 only to be vetoed.

            Last year, Gov. Parson vetoed a similar measure that would have allowed anyone older than 18 to ride without a helmet, though his veto was centered on a separate provision in that legislation.

Missouri has become the 32nd state to repeal their all-rider helmet law when Governor Mike Parson (R) signed House Bill 1963 into law on July 14; a massive transportation bill that includes a provision to allow most adults to ride a motorcycle or trike without a helmet, provided they are at least 26 years old and have appropriate health insurance. 

Sponsored by GOP Representative Travis Fitzwater, H.B. 1963 goes into effect August 28, 2020, and will also restrict police from pulling over helmetless riders to check if they have the required health insurance.

            “We really feel everything in this bill has been well vetted,” Tony Shepherd, who lobbied in support of repealing the helmet law for a motorcycle rights group, ABATE for Missouri, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Other organizations supporting the measure were the Missouri Confederation of Clubs & Independents (CoC), and Freedom of the Road Riders of Missouri (FORR-MO), which has been lobbying to repeal the “Show Me” state’s helmet law for decades, successfully getting a bill on their governor’s desk four times since 1999 only to be vetoed.

            Last year, Gov. Parson vetoed a similar measure that would have allowed anyone older than 18 to ride without a helmet, though his veto was centered on a separate provision in that legislation.