BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 880
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 4, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                     SB 880 (Yee) - As Amended:  August 2, 1010 

          Policy Committee:                             Health Vote:14-4
                       Judiciary                                   7-2

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires an individual younger than 18 years of age to  
          wear a properly fitted and approved helmet when downhill skiing  
          or snowboarding. Specifically, this bill: 

          1)Requires helmets to meet the standards of specified national  
            or international safety organizations. 

          2)Requires the first charge of failing to meet the helmet  
            requirement to be dismissed.

          3)Establishes a fine for an infraction of the helmet requirement  
            of not more than $25. 

          4)Requires ski resorts to post signs about the helmet  
            requirement and to provide written notice on trail maps and  
            websites. 

          5)Specifies this bill will only become operative if AB 1652,  
            pending in the Senate, is also enacted.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          This bill contains no specific enforcement or reporting  
          requirements. Therefore no direct fiscal impact is created by  
          this bill. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . This bill is sponsored by the California  
            Psychological Association to establish basic safety standards  








                                                                  SB 880
                                                                  Page  2

            for children who ski and snowboard at California resorts. The  
            author and sponsor indicate more than 7,000 head injuries  
            occur annually at American ski resorts. Research indicates the  
            use of a helmet for skiing and snowboarding reduces head,  
            neck, and face injuries by 40% to 50%. The benefits of helmet  
            protection are particularly pronounced for children. 

           2)Related Legislation  . AB 1652 (Jones), pending in the Senate,  
            requires ski resorts to prepare an annual safety plan and  
            provide a monthly summary of injuries and deaths. AB 1652 also  
            requires children and resort employees to wear helmets.  

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081