Gov. Brown Blocks Youth Helmet Law For Snow Sports
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Gov. Jerry Brown says California parents know best whether their children should wear helmets when they ski or ride snowboards. He has vetoed a bill that would have required helmets on the slopes for anyone under 18 years old.
Brown says in a veto message Wednesday that helmets provide protection, but parents can and should make good choices for their children without the state getting involved.
The Democratic governor says "not every human problem deserves a law."
SB105 by Sen. Leland Yee, a San Francisco Democrat, would have allowed $25 fines for parents whose children didn't wear helmets. He cited statistics showing half of reported ski-slope deaths stem from head injuries.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill last year.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
