Motorcycle riders over 21 would not have to wear helmets under proposed bill
There's another effort to make motorcycle helmets optional for riders 21 and older, in Nebraska.
State Sen. Ben Hansen is proposing LB 91, which would make helmets optional for people ages 21 and over, as long as they take a safety class.
"The motorcycle riders themselves really want this," Hansen said.
Hansen said it's not the government's place to require motorcycle helmets.
"I feel and it's my philosophy that people should have the choice in whether to wear a motorcycle helmet or not when they're riding a motorcycle," he said. "Nebraska now is becoming quite an outlier, especially in the Midwest, but in the country now when it comes to helmet laws."
Iowa does not have a motorcycle helmet law. In Missouri, helmets are only required for riders 25 and younger.
Brian Ortner, the Nebraska AAA public affairs specialist, said the focus should be on safety and saving lives.
"When there are laws enacted in states, it's a proven strategy that the number of deaths or severe brain injuries decline when helmet laws are enforced," Ortner said.
On Monday, a coalition of organizations including Madonna Rehabilitation, The Nebraska Hospital Association and the National Safety Council announced their opposition to LB 91.
"When you look at the cost of medical care, for the injuries or the deaths that occur and what that cost does not only for the individual but their family, the taxpayers, and the state, there's financial impact that goes in so many different areas," Ortner said.
A 2021 survey from AAA shows 89% of participants suggested there should be a helmet law.
"When you're on public roads, the safety on our roads is the responsibility of all of us. Whether we're in a car, in a semi-truck, or a motorcycle we need to be safe on the roads," Ortner said.
The legislature's transportation committee will hold a hearing on the bill on Tuesday afternoon. The committee will then decide whether or not the proposal will go to the floor for debate.