NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6985

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Consumer Protection Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 27, 2025	referred to consumer protection

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5822
Current Committee:: Senate Consumer Protection
Law Section:: General Business Law
Laws Affected:: Add §391-ccc, Gen Bus L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: A10054

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires every person, corporation, association or partnership who rents helmets or provides helmets to customers as part of their business to ensure that such helmets are undamaged.

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6985

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general business law, in relation to requirements
for the rental of helmets

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This legislation would ensure that businesses such as bicycle rental
shops and ski resorts that lend or provide a helmet for rental provide
only non-damaged gear to customers. Businesses will be required to ask
customers returning the equipment whether the helmet has sustained an
impact. In case the helmet was impacted during use, the business that
supplied such helmet will be required to remove it from further rental.
To ensure customers have no incentive to not report an impact crash,
commercial helmet providers will be prohibited from charging customers a
fee or penalty if an impact is reported.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 names this act as the "Safe Helmet Act".

Section 2 amends the general business law by adding a new section 391-cc
that prohibits corporations from renting damaged helmets.  subdivision
(a) requires direct inquiry upon a rental return whether any impacts
have been sustained to such helmet, and the storage of such record.
subdivision (b) prohibits corporations from charging a fee or penalty in
case rented helmet have sustained an impact while in possession of such
costumer.

Section 3 prohibits the storage of undamaged helmets with damaged'ones.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Modern helmets are designed to sustain one single impact and protect the
wearers' head by using material that absorbs the impact and significant-
ly reduces the possibility of a head injury. It is not always possible
to determine if a helmet has been damaged since the bulk of the impact
is absorbed by the foam inside the outer shell; and companies providing
helmets for rent currently have no incentive to replace a non-functional
helmet since they would incur an additional cost. Manufacturers, health,
and consumer organizations all recommend replacing a helmet after an
impact even without visible damages. Also, the NYS Department of Health
recommends replacing a helmet after impact. Damaged helmets, in addition
to their lack of protection, give riders the illusion of protection,
possibly making them engage in more dangerous activity than they other-
wise would without a helmet.

Known as the Safe Helmet Act of 2024, this legislation will enhance New
Yorkers health and safety by ensuring only functional helmets are
provided for rental.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: A10054 (Dilan)

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days after it shall have become a law.

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6985
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 27, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in  relation  to  requirements
   for the rental of helmets
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "safe helmet act".
   §  2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 391-
 ccc to read as follows:
   § 391-CCC. RENTAL OF HELMETS. 1. NO PERSON,  CORPORATION,  ASSOCIATION
 OR  PARTNERSHIP  WHO  RENTS  HELMETS OR PROVIDES HELMETS TO CUSTOMERS AS
 PART OF THEIR BUSINESS SHALL RENT OR PROVIDE A HELMET THAT HAS PREVIOUS-
 LY SUSTAINED AN IMPACT.
   2. (A) (I) EVERY PERSON, CORPORATION, ASSOCIATION OR  PARTNERSHIP  WHO
 RENTS HELMETS OR PROVIDES HELMETS TO CUSTOMERS AS PART OF THEIR BUSINESS
 SHALL  DIRECTLY  INQUIRE  FROM  EVERY CUSTOMER ABOUT WHETHER ANY IMPACTS
 HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED TO A RENTED OR PROVIDED HELMET UPON  THE  RETURN  OF
 SUCH HELMET.
   (II)  EVERY  PERSON, CORPORATION, ASSOCIATION OR PARTNERSHIP WHO RENTS
 HELMETS OR PROVIDES HELMETS TO CUSTOMERS AS PART OF THEIR BUSINESS SHALL
 KEEP A WRITTEN RECORD OF EVERY NOTIFICATION OF AN IMPACT PROVIDED  BY  A
 CUSTOMER PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH.
   (B)  NO  PERSON,  CORPORATION,  ASSOCIATION  OR  PARTNERSHIP WHO RENTS
 HELMETS OR PROVIDES HELMETS TO  CUSTOMERS  AS  PART  OF  THEIR  BUSINESS
 SHALL:
   (I)  CHARGE A CUSTOMER A FEE OR PENALTY IF A HELMET RENTED OR PROVIDED
 TO SUCH CUSTOMER SUSTAINED AN IMPACT WHILE IN  THE  POSSESSION  OF  SUCH
 CUSTOMER; OR
   (II)  PROVIDE  A  DISCOUNT  OR INCENTIVE TO A CUSTOMER FOR RETURNING A
 RENTED OR PROVIDED HELMET UNDAMAGED.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09843-01-5

 S. 6985                             2
 
   3. NO  PERSON,  CORPORATION,  ASSOCIATION  OR  PARTNERSHIP  WHO  RENTS
 HELMETS OR PROVIDES HELMETS TO CUSTOMERS AS PART OF THEIR BUSINESS SHALL
 STORE A HELMET WHICH HAS SUSTAINED AN IMPACT WITH UNDAMAGED HELMETS.
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

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Senate Bill S6985

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Consumer Protection Committee

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6985

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Sponsored By

Rachel May

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Consumer Protection Committee

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S6985 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments