I 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4552 

To encourage and ensure the use of safe equestrian helmets, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 1, 2014 

Mr. HIMES (for himself, Mr. CARNEY, Ms. ESTY, and Mr. LARSON of Connecticut) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To encourage and ensure the use of safe equestrian helmets, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Christen O’Donnell 

5 Equestrian Helmet Safety Act of 2013’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Head injuries are the number one reason 

9 for hospital admissions of horseback riders and the 


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1 leading cause of death following a horseback riding 

2 injury. 

3 (2) Over 100 deaths per year are estimated to 

4 result from equestrian related activities, with head 

5 injuries accounting for 3 of every 5 of these deaths. 

6 (3) Nearly 68,000 people visited the emergency 

7 room in 2012 as a result of horseback riding related 

8 injuries, with head injuries accounting for 22 per9 cent and concussions accounting for 7 percent of 

10 these visits. 

11 (4) Horseback riding causes 11.7 percent of 

12 sports-related traumatic brain injuries, which is the 

13 largest percentage of any recreational sport. 

14 (5) Between 2001 and 2009, children under 19 

15 made 3,638 emergency room visits per year for trau16 matic brain injuries resulting from horseback riding 

17 accidents. 

18 (6) Between 75 and 80 percent of head injuries 

19 occur while physically mounted on a horse—when a 

20 rider would normally be wearing his or her helmet. 

21 (7) Racing organizations require helmets, and 

22 as a result jockeys now sustain fewer head injuries 

23 than pleasure riders. 

24 (8) The U.S. Pony Clubs lowered head injury 

25 rates by 29 percent through mandatory helmet use. 


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1 (9) Properly fitted ASTM/SEI certified helmets 

2 can reduce head injury-related deaths by 70 to 80 

3 percent. 

4 SEC. 3. STANDARDS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Every equestrian helmet manu6 factured on or after the date that is 9 months after the 

7 date of enactment of this Act shall meet— 

8 (1) the interim standard specified in subsection 

9 (b), pending the establishment of a final standard 

10 pursuant to subsection (c); and 

11 (2) the final standard, once that standard has 

12 been established under subsection (c). 

13 (b) INTERIM STANDARD.—The interim standard for 

14 equestrian helmets is the American Society for Testing 

15 and Materials (ASTM) standard designated as F1163. 

16 (c) FINAL STANDARD.— 

17 (1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 60 days 

18 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Con19 sumer Product Safety Commission shall begin a pro20 ceeding under section 553 of title 5, United States 

21 Code, to— 

22 (A) establish a final standard for eques23 trian helmets that incorporates all the require24 ments of the interim standard specified in sub25 section (b); 


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1 (B) provide in the final standard a man2 date that all approved equestrian helmets be 

3 certified to the requirements promulgated under 

4 the final standard by an organization that is ac5 credited to certify personal protection equip6 ment in accordance with ISO Guide 65; and 

7 (C) include in the final standard any addi8 tional provisions that the Commission considers 

9 appropriate. 

10 (2) INAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN LAWS.—Sec11 tions 7 and 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act 

12 (15 U.S.C. 2056 and 2058) shall not apply to the 

13 proceeding under this subsection, and section 11 of 

14 such Act (15 U.S.C. 2060) shall not apply with re15 spect to any standard issued under such proceeding. 

16 (3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The final standard 

17 shall take effect not later than 1 year after the date 

18 it is issued. 

19 (d) FAILURE TO MEET STANDARDS.— 

20 (1) FAILURE TO MEET INTERIM STANDARD.— 

21 Until the final standard takes effect, an equestrian 

22 helmet that does not meet the interim standard, re23 quired under subsection (a)(1), shall be considered 

24 in violation of a consumer product safety standard 


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1 promulgated under the Consumer Product Safety 

2 Act. 

3 (2) STATUS OF FINAL STANDARD.—The final 

4 standard developed under subsection (c) shall be 

5 considered a consumer product safety standard pro6 mulgated under the Consumer Product Safety Act. 

7 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

8 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Con9 sumer Product Safety Commission to carry out this Act, 

10 $500,000 for fiscal year 2014, which amount shall remain 

11 available until expended. 

12 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 

13 In this Act: 

14 (1) APPROVED EQUESTRIAN HELMET.—The 

15 term ‘‘approved equestrian helmet’’ means an eques16 trian helmet that meets— 

17 (A) the interim standard specified in sec18 tion 3(b), pending establishment of a final 

19 standard under section 3(c); and 

20 (B) the final standard, once it is effective 

21 under section 3(c). 

22 (2) EQUESTRIAN HELMET.—The term ‘‘eques23 trian helmet’’ means a hard shell head covering inVerDate Mar 15 2010 03:41 May 02, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4552.IH H4552

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1 tended to be worn while participating in an eques2 trian event or activity. 

Æ 


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