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HB343 • 2026

Helmets; wearing whenever riding/carried on skateboard or scooter or nonmotorized scooter.

An Act to amend and reenact § 46.2-906.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to helmets; local authority.

Children
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Martinez
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify that the fine is waived for first-time violators or those who purchase a helmet before being fined. This detail was removed as it was not supported by the provided text.

Helmet Rules for Skateboards and Scooters

This act allows local governments to make rules requiring children under 14 years old to wear helmets when riding motorized skateboards, scooters, or nonmotorized scooters.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows cities, towns, and counties to create rules about wearing helmets for certain types of vehicles.
  • Requires children aged 14 or younger to wear a helmet that meets safety standards when using motorized skateboards, scooters, or nonmotorized scooters in public places like streets, sidewalks, and bike paths.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children under 14 years old who ride motorized skateboards, scooters, or nonmotorized scooters.
  • Local governments that want to make rules about wearing helmets for these types of vehicles.

Terms To Know

Consumer Product Safety Commission
A government agency that sets safety standards for products like helmets.
Highway
Any public road or street where vehicles can travel.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is up to local governments to decide if they want to make helmet rules for skateboards and scooters.
  • The act does not change existing laws about civil actions related to accidents involving these types of vehicles.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB343ASC1

2026-02-27 • Committee

Transportation Amendment

Plain English: The amendment removes the term 'nonmotorized scooters' from the bill text to simplify the helmet requirement for skateboards and scooters.

  • Removes 'nonmotorized scooters' after mentioning skateboards and scooters in the first instance of the bill text.
  • Strikes 'a nonmotorized scooter' when referring to helmets required while riding or being carried on a scooter.
  • Eliminates 'nonmotorized scooter' from another part of the bill where it mentions helmet requirements.
  • The amendment does not specify what types of scooters are covered under the helmet requirement after removing the term 'nonmotorized scooters'.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 114 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 114 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0114)

  4. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  5. 2026-03-14 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  6. 2026-03-10 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-10 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB343ER)

  10. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Read third time

  11. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  12. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Rules suspended

  13. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  15. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  16. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  17. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  18. 2026-02-26 Transportation

    Reported from Transportation

  19. 2026-02-26 Transportation

    Reported from Transportation with amendments

  20. 2026-02-26 Transportation

    Failed to report from Transportation with amendments

  21. 2026-02-26 Transportation

    Reported from Transportation (8-Y 4-N 1-A)

  22. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  23. 2026-01-29 Transportation

    Referred to Committee on Transportation

  24. 2026-01-28 House

    Read third time and passed House (75-Y 22-N 0-A)

  25. 2026-01-27 House

    Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar

  26. 2026-01-27 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  27. 2026-01-26 House

    Read first time

  28. 2026-01-22 Transportation

    Reported from Transportation (21-Y 0-N)

  29. 2026-01-21 Highway Safety and Policy

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)

  30. 2026-01-19 Highway Safety and Policy

    Assigned HTRAN sub: Highway Safety and Policy

  31. 2026-01-12 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100504D

  32. 2026-01-12 Transportation

    Referred to Committee on Transportation

Official Summary Text

Helmets; local authority.
Permits localities to adopt ordinances requiring children 14 years of age or younger to wear protective helmets whenever riding or being carried on a motorized skateboard or scooter or a nonmotorized scooter. Current law authorizes localities to adopt such ordinances for riders of bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, toy vehicles, and electric power-assisted bicycles.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
46.2-906.1
of the Code of Virginia, relating to helmets; local authority.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
46.2-906.1
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
46.2-906.1
. Local ordinances may require riders of bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, toy vehicles, motorized skateboards or scooters, nonmotorized scooters, and electric power-assisted bicycles to wear helmets.
The governing body of any county, city
,
or town may, by ordinance, provide that every person 14 years of age or younger shall wear a protective helmet that at least meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission standard whenever riding or being carried on a bicycle, an electric personal assistive mobility device, a toy vehicle,
a motorized skateboard or scooter, a nonmotorized scooter,
or an electric power-assisted bicycle on any highway as defined in §
46.2-100
, sidewalk, or public bicycle path.
Violation of any such ordinance shall be punishable by a fine of $25. However, such fine shall be suspended (i) for first-time violators and (ii) for violators who, subsequent to the violation but prior to imposition of the fine, purchase helmets of the type required by the ordinance.
Violation of any such ordinance shall not constitute negligence
,
or assumption of risk, be considered in mitigation of damages of whatever nature, be admissible in evidence, or be the subject of comment by counsel in any action for the recovery of damages arising out of the operation of any bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, toy vehicle,
motorized skateboard or scooter, nonmotorized scooter,
or electric power-assisted bicycle, nor shall anything in this section change any existing law, rule, or procedure pertaining to any civil action.