If it seems that there's a lot of news about helmet laws recently, it's because February is typically the month when new legislation gets introduced.

Yesterday, on Valentine's Day, a group of bikers showed up in the State Capitol of Oregon trying to get the state's helmet law repealed. A bill was introduced to allow motorcyclists to decide whether or not to wear helmets.

According to Oregon Public Broadcasting:

Former governor John Kitzhaber vetoed one helmet bill in 1997, citing injuries he'd seen as an emergency room physician.

Governor Ted Kulongoski has not had to take a position on the issue, but his son survived a motorcycle accident in part because he wore a helmet. A committee in the Oregon House takes testimony on the bill this week.

Labels: Helmet Laws, Oregon