‘It’s about freedom’: Local lawmaker trying again on motorcycle helmet law repeal

by Austin Huguelet / Gannett from https://www.therolladailynews.com A local lawmaker still wants to let some Missouri motorcyclists ditch their helmets. Sen. Eric Burlison, R-Battlefield, almost had it last year. After pitching the idea as a win for individual freedom, he got it attached to a larger transportation bill that passed both houses. But Gov. Mike Parson couldn’t stomach another part of the bill and vetoed it. This year, Burlison thinks he’s got a decent shot to pass the idea as its own bill. Parson, a Republican, supported similar stand-alone bills as a legislator, so Burlison’s main focus is on getting it through the legislature again. “We’ll see how much time (Senate leaders) give it on the floor,” he said Friday, “but over time, we’ve made so many compromises on this, so I hope people will take that into consideration.” Those compromises, Burlison said, include a requirement for those going without helmets to have qualifying health insurance. The exemption from the state’s helmet rule would also only apply to riders ages 18 and up. Those provisions will likely never be enough for opposing lawmakers who say the plan will lead to more deadly accidents. They have a point. National Highway Transportation Safety Agency research indicates helmets saved more than 1,800 lives in 2016, and that if all motorcyclists would have worn helmets that year, 802 more people could have been saved. On its website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention make its position clear: “The single most effective way for states to save lives and save money is a universal helmet law.” They also point out that riders wouldn’t have to prove insurance coverage unless they were pulled over by law enforcement and worry the cost of accidents will ultimately take a toll on Medicaid. But Burlison sees the entire […]

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