Bill > HB706

This bill requires all skateboard users under the age of sixteen to wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet when operating a skateboard on streets, roadways, bikeways, or other public properties. The helmet must be designed to protect against head trauma and tested by a nationally recognized safety agency like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The legislation is motivated by research showing a significant number of emergency room visits due to skateboarding-related head and facial injuries, with approximately 100,201 such visits nationwide between 2009 and 2018. The bill draws parallels to existing bicycle helmet laws and safety regulations in other states like California, New York, and Oregon. The proposed law defines a skateboard as a short board with wheels that a person stands on to move or perform tricks, and importantly, it does not override existing county ordinances that may further restrict skateboard use. The bill specifies that the new requirements will take effect on January 1, 3000, which appears to be a placeholder date typically used when the exact implementation date is yet to be determined.

Justice, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=706&year=2026