HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1436        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1556

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Colleen M. Garry

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to require the use of safety helmets while using non motorized scooters by children under the age of 18.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/20/2011


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1436        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1556

By Ms. Garry of Dracut, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1556) of Colleen M. Garry requiring the use of safety helmets while using non-motorized scooters by children under the age of eighteen.  Public Safety and Homeland Security.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2228 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act to require the use of safety helmets while using non motorized scooters by children under the age of 18.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 85 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following new section:—

Section 11E. Any person seventeen years of age or younger operating a non-motorized scooter on a public way, bicycle path or on any other public right-of-way shall wear a helmet. Such helmet shall fit the person’s head and secured by straps at times while operating a non-motorized scooter, and shall meet the standards for helmets established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z 90.4) or subsequent standards or the Snell Memorial Foundation’s nineteen hundred and eighty-four standard for use in bicycling or subsequent standards. A violation of this section shall not be used as evidence of contributory negligence in any civil action.

SECTION 2. Chapter 85 of General Laws as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following new section:—

Section 11F. Every person engaged in the retail business of selling or renting of non-motorized scooters wheeled vehicle shall display in an area conspicuous to customers of such business a sign containing the following statement: “Massachusetts law requires that a helmet be worn by persons seventeen years of age and under who are operators of a non-motorized scooter.”