Bill Text: CA AB695 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Vehicles: motorcycles: safety helmets: exceptions.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-10 - From committee without further action pursuant to Joint Rule 62(a). [AB695 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB695-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 695	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 4, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Norby

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2011

   An act to amend Section 27803 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 695, as amended, Norby. Vehicles: motorcycles: safety helmets:
exceptions.
   Existing law requires a driver and a passenger to wear a safety
helmet meeting certain requirements when riding on a motorcycle,
motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycle.
   This bill would exempt from this requirement a  driver
  person  who is  18   21
 years of age or older who has either completed a motorcyclist
safety training program  ,  or has been authorized
to operate a vehicle pursuant to a valid class M1 license or
endorsement, or a comparable license from another jurisdiction, for 2
 years  or more  years  .
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 27803 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   27803.  (a) Except as provided in subdivision (g), a driver and a
passenger shall wear a safety helmet meeting requirements established
pursuant to Section 27802 when riding on a motorcycle, motor-driven
cycle, or motorized bicycle.
   (b) It is unlawful to operate a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or
motorized bicycle if the driver or a passenger is not wearing a
safety helmet as required by subdivision (a).
   (c) It is unlawful to ride as a passenger on a motorcycle,
motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycle if the driver or a passenger
is not wearing a safety helmet as required by subdivision (a).
   (d) This section applies to a person who is riding on a
motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycle operated on the
highways.
   (e) For the purposes of this section, "wear a safety helmet" or
"wearing a safety helmet" means having a safety helmet meeting the
requirements of Section 27802 on the person's head that is fastened
with the helmet straps and that is of a size that fits the wearing
person's head securely without excessive lateral or vertical
movement.
   (f) This section does not apply to a person operating, or riding
as a passenger in, a fully enclosed three-wheeled motor vehicle that
is not less than seven feet in length and not less than four feet in
width, and has an unladen weight of 900 pounds or more, if the
vehicle meets or exceeds all of the requirements of this code, the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and the rules and regulations
adopted by the United States Department of Transportation and the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
   (g) This section does not apply to a  driver 
 person  who is  18  21  years of
age or older and meets either of the following requirements:
   (1) Has completed a motorcyclist safety training program that
complies with Section 2932.
   (2) Has been authorized to operate a vehicle pursuant to a valid
class M1 license or endorsement, or a comparable license from another
jurisdiction, for two  years  or more  years
 .
   (h) In enacting this section, it is the intent of the Legislature
to ensure that all persons are provided with an additional safety
benefit while operating or riding a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle,
or motorized bicycle.