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Helmet bill heads to California Assembly floor

Staff report

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A bill aimed at protecting the thousands of individuals, families and children who visit the California ski resorts each year is bound for the Assembly floor.

The bill will require ski resorts to:

• Adopt mandatory helmet use by guests younger than age 18 and employees of the resort while on skis and snowboards and revoke the ticket or pass of a guest who violates the helmet requirement.



• Prepare, post and make available at the request of consumers an annual safety plan. The plan would include a description of the signage used as well as the specific placement of signage marking ski area boundaries and known natural and manmade hazards.

• Create and make available at the request of consumers monthly summary reports stating the number of deaths and injuries at the resort of which resort personnel are aware.



“I have witnessed first hand the pain and suffering families endure when a loved one is lost to an accident that potentially could have been avoided,” said Assemblymember Dave Jones, the bill’s author in a released statement. “We know helmets save lives and reduce the severity of injury whether used while bicycling, skateboarding or snowboarding or skiing. AB 1652 does not interfere with anyone’s enjoyment on the slopes but rather enhances the experience by making snowboarding and skiing much safer.”

California ski resorts are not required to publicly release injury and fatality information or provide information informing patrons of their safety practices.


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