SF 3004

Introduction - 81st Legislature (1999 - 2000)

Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00 a.m.

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; operating bicycles; 
  1.3             requiring persons under age 18 to wear an approved 
  1.4             helmet when operating a bicycle, riding as a passenger 
  1.5             on a bicycle, or riding in a trailer towed by a 
  1.6             bicycle; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, sections 
  1.7             169.222, by adding a subdivision; and 169.223, 
  1.8             subdivision 1. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 169.222, is 
  1.11  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.12     Subd. 5a.  [APPROVED HELMETS.] No person under age 18 may 
  1.13  operate a bicycle, ride as a passenger on a bicycle, or ride in 
  1.14  a trailer towed by a bicycle, unless the person is wearing a 
  1.15  properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the 
  1.16  American National Standard for Protective Headgear for 
  1.17  Bicyclists, ANSI Z90.4-1984, approved by the American National 
  1.18  Standards Institute, Inc., or the 1990 standard for protective 
  1.19  headgear for use in bicycling produced by the Snell Memorial 
  1.20  Foundation, or other appropriate standard approved by the 
  1.21  commissioner.  A person regularly engaged in the business of 
  1.22  renting bicycles shall provide a properly fitted helmet to a 
  1.23  person who will operate or ride as a passenger on or in a 
  1.24  trailer towed by a rented bicycle and who is required by this 
  1.25  subdivision to wear a helmet if the person does not already have 
  1.26  a helmet.  A reasonable fee may be charged for the helmet 
  1.27  rental.  A person regularly engaged in the business of renting 
  2.1   bicycles who complies with this subdivision is not liable for 
  2.2   damages or injuries sustained as a result of a bicycle 
  2.3   operator's or passenger's failure to wear a helmet in compliance 
  2.4   with this subdivision. 
  2.5      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 169.223, 
  2.6   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  2.7      Subdivision 1.  [SAFETY EQUIPMENT; PARKING.] Except as 
  2.8   otherwise provided in this section, section 169.974 relating to 
  2.9   motorcycles is applicable to motorized bicycles, except that: 
  2.10     (1) protective headgear includes headgear that meets the 
  2.11  American National Standard for Protective Headgear for 
  2.12  Bicyclists, ANSI Z90.4-1984, approved by the American National 
  2.13  Standards Institute, Inc., or the 1990 standard for protective 
  2.14  headgear for use in bicycling produced by the Snell Memorial 
  2.15  Foundation; 
  2.16     (2) a motorized bicycle equipped with a headlight and 
  2.17  taillight meeting the requirements of lighting for motorcycles 
  2.18  may be operated during nighttime hours; 
  2.19     (3) except as provided in clause (5), protective headgear 
  2.20  is not required for operators 18 years of age or older; 
  2.21     (4) the provisions of section 169.222 governing the parking 
  2.22  of bicycles apply to motorized bicycles; 
  2.23     (5) the operator of an electric-assisted bicycle must wear 
  2.24  properly fitted and fastened headgear that meets the American 
  2.25  National Standard for Protective Headgear for Bicyclists, ANSI 
  2.26  Z90.4-1984, approved by the American National Standards 
  2.27  Institute, Inc., when operating the electric-assisted bicycle on 
  2.28  a street or highway; and 
  2.29     (6) eye protection devices are not required for operators 
  2.30  of electric-assisted bicycles.