BY ERIN MILLER | WEST HAWAII TODAY A bill that would require children on skateboards to wear helmets advanced from its first House committee hearing Friday. ADVERTISING The proposal, from Rep. Linda Ichiyama, D-Moanalua Valley, Moanalua, Salt Lake, is stricter
BY ERIN MILLER | WEST HAWAII TODAY
A bill that would require children on skateboards to wear helmets advanced from its first House committee hearing Friday.
The proposal, from Rep. Linda Ichiyama, D-Moanalua Valley, Moanalua, Salt Lake, is stricter than an existing state law that requires bicyclists of all ages to wear helmets while riding on public property, or face a $25 civil fine. House Bill 2276 requires anyone 16 years old or younger to wear a helmet while skateboarding, or their parents face a fine of $50 to $250.
“I wanted it to be as broad as possible,” Ichiyama said, when asked about how the bill’s provisions compare with the bicycle helmet law.
Ichiyama referred questions about whether police officers could enter private property to issue a citation for a violation that occurred on private property to law enforcement agencies.
She said she wanted to raise awareness of the dangers of skateboarding without a helmet.
“We have a lot of kids who skateboard in my district,” she said.
Recently, an 11-year-old boy in Ichiyama’s district was injured when he hit a vehicle while skateboarding. That incident, she said, prompted her to look into introducing the bill.
House Health Committee Chairman Ryan Yamane said three people submitted testimony supporting the measure prior to Friday morning’s hearing.
Could police officers go on private property to enforce the bill, if it passes?
“There’s always an issue about where does the law start and where does it end,” Yamane said.
The goal of such a law, he said, is both compliance and education.
emiller@westhawaiitoday.com
