Ride in Freedom Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 5274 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5274

To prohibit the District of Columbia from requiring a person to wear a protective helmet to operate, or ride on, a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

August 6, 2026

Mr. Sheehy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

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A BILL

To prohibit the District of Columbia from requiring a person to wear a protective helmet to operate, or ride on, a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Ride in Freedom Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON REQUIRING HELMET REQUIREMENT TO OPERATE MOTORCYCLE IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

(a) In General.--The Council of the District of Columbia may not enact, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia may not enforce, any act, resolution, or other requirement that prohibits a person from operating, or riding on, a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle unless wearing a protective helmet. (b) Repeal of Existing Requirement.--Section 2215.3 title 18 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, as added by section 7(o)(2) of the Motorized Bicycle Amendment Act of 2012 (D.C. Law 19-290), is repealed. (c) Conforming Amendment to Home Rule Act.--Section 602(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1-206.02(a), D.C. Official Code) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (9), by striking ``office; or'' and inserting ``office;''; (2) in paragraph (10), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(11) enact any act, resolution, regulation or other requirement that prohibits a person from operating, or riding on, a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle unless wearing a protective helmet (as those terms are defined in the Ride in Freedom Act).''. (d) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Helmet.--The term ``helmet'' means a helmet that meets the standards set forth in section 741 of title 18 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations. (2) Motorcycle; motor-driven cycle.--The terms ``motorcycle'' and ``motor-driven cycle'' have the meanings given those terms in section 9901 of title 18 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations. <all>