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• Introduced by Rep. Barbara Farrah (D) on May 15, 2007, to repeal the mandatory motorcycle helmet requirement for a motorcycle operator who pays an extra $100 annual fee (or $200 for three years), has had a license for two years, and purchases extra insurance with $20,000 personal injury coverage. Passengers would have to pay another $100 (or $200) to ride helmetless. The bill also increases the penalties for riding helmetless without paying the extra fee. Those who have paid would get a license plate sticker indicating this.
  • Referred to the House Regulatory Reform Committee on May 15, 2007.
    • Reported in the House on May 29, 2007, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the House on October 11, 2007, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises various details, but does not change its substance. This version was subsequently superseded by the Farrah substitute, which has substantive changes. The substitute failed by voice vote in the House on October 11, 2007.
  • Substitute offered by Rep. Barbara Farrah (D) on October 11, 2007, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that has the same substantive changes as the Farrah substitute that was subsequenly adopted, but which also would have earmarked $1 million of the extra fee revenue to motorcycle safety training programs. The later version does not contain that earmark, but essentially just uses the new money to fund regular State Police operations that would otherwise be paid for with some other state taxes or fees (which will now be used to pay for something else). The substitute failed by voice vote in the House on October 11, 2007.
  • Substitute offered by Rep. Barbara Farrah (D) on October 11, 2007, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that does not require passenger to pay the extra fee to ride helmetless, and exempts out-of-state motorcycle operators who own their cycle from the mandatory helmet law (they would not have to pay the proposed extra fee). The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on October 11, 2007.
• Passed 69 to 39 in the House on October 11, 2007, to repeal the mandatory motorcycle helmet requirement for a motorcycle operator who pays an extra $100 annual fee (or $200 for three years), has had a license for two years (or takes a safety course), and purchases extra insurance with $20,000 personal injury coverage. Passengers would have to pay another $100 (or $200) to ride helmetless. The bill also increases the penalties for riding helmetless without paying the extra fee. Those who have paid would get a license plate sticker indicating this. Out-of-state riders would not have to buy the permit if they own their motorcycle.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the Senate on October 16, 2007.
  • Referred to the Senate Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee on October 16, 2007.
    • Reported in the Senate on October 18, 2007, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the Senate on October 18, 2007, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details but does not change the substance of the bill as previously described. The substitute passed by voice vote in the Senate on October 18, 2007.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Tom George (R) on October 18, 2007, to tie-bar the bill to House Bill 5243, meaning this bill cannot become law unless that one does also. HB 5243 would require motorcyclists who choose to ride without a helmet to pay for the unlimited personal injury protection (PIP) required for other vehicle owners under the state no-fault automobile insurance law. The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on October 18, 2007.
• Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on October 18, 2007, to repeal the mandatory motorcycle helmet requirement for a motorcycle operator who pays an extra $100 annual fee (or $200 for three years), has had a license for two years (or takes a safety course), and purchases extra insurance with $20,000 personal injury coverage. Passengers would have to pay another $100 (or $200) to ride helmetless. The bill also increases the penalties for riding helmetless without paying the extra fee. Those who have paid would get a license plate sticker indicating this. Out-of-state riders would not have to buy the permit if they own their motorcycle.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the House on October 23, 2007.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. David Agema (R) on June 4, 2008, to eliminate the provision that requires motorcyclists to pay a fee to be exempt from the helmet mandate. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on June 4, 2008.
• Passed 70 to 38 in the House on June 4, 2008, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Vetoed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on June 13, 2008.
• Received in the House on June 17, 2008.