A state House committee has approved a measure that would allow motorcyclists 21 years and older with at least two years of experience to ride without a helmet.
This is the newest compromise that opponents of the helmet law hope will win the support of Governor Rick Snyder.
The measure to repeal the four-decade-old helmet law now goes to the floor of the state House for a vote.
Republican state Representative Peter Petallia (R-Presque Isle)is the sponsor.
He says Michigan is the only state in the Midwest that does not allow motorcycle riders to remove their helmets.
“If Michigan did not have a helmet law, so you think we would enact a helmet law? My answer would be ‘no'," said Petallia.
Governor Snyder has said he will not support a helmet law repeal without assurances the costs of medical care for injured riders won’t be passed along to taxpayers or insurance rate payers.
The Petallia bill requires riders who want to doff their helmets to carry an additional $20,000 in medical coverage.
Opponents of the repeal say that would not cover a week of intensive care.
