II 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2972 

To require all equestrian helmets manufactured or sold in the United States 

meet a minimum safety standard, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 3, 2014 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself, Mr. COONS, Mr. MURPHY, and Mr. CARPER) 

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To require all equestrian helmets manufactured or sold in 

the United States meet a minimum safety standard, 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 2014’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

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) More than 100 deaths per year are esti4 mated to result from equestrian related activities, 

5 with head injuries accounting for 3 of every 5 of 

6 these deaths. 

7 (3) Nearly 68,000 people visited an emergency 

8 room in 2012 as a result of horseback riding related 

9 injuries, with head injuries accounting for 22 per10 cent and concussions accounting for 7 percent of 

11 these visits. 

12 (4) Horseback riding causes 11.7 percent of 

13 sports-related traumatic brain injuries, which is the 

14 largest percentage of any recreational sport. 

15 (5) Between 2001 and 2009, children younger 

16 than 19 years of age made 3,638 emergency room 

17 visits per year for traumatic brain injuries resulting 

18 from horseback riding accidents. 

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

20 occur while physically mounted on a horse—when a 

21 rider would normally be wearing his or her helmet. 

22 (7) Racing organizations require helmets, and 

23 as a result jockeys now sustain fewer head injuries 

24 than pleasure riders. 


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1 (8) The United States Pony Clubs lowered head 

2 injury rates by 29 percent through mandatory hel3 met use. 

4 (9) Properly fitted ASTM/SEI certified helmets 

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

6 percent. 

7 SEC. 3. STANDARDS FOR EQUESTRIAN HELMETS. 

8 (a) EQUESTRIAN HELMET DEFINED.—In this sec9 tion, the term ‘‘equestrian helmet’’ means a hard shell 

10 head covering intended to be worn while participating in 

11 an equestrian event or activity. 

12 (b) REQUIREMENT.—Every equestrian helmet manu13 factured on or after the date that is 270 days after the 

14 date of the enactment of this Act shall meet— 

15 (1) in the case that the Consumer Product 

16 Safety Commission has not established a standard 

17 under subsection (c), the ASTM International stand18 ard designated as F1163 or successor standard; and 

19 (2) in the case that the Commission has estab20 lished a standard under subsection (c), the standard 

21 established under subsection (c). 

22 (c) STANDARD.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Consumer Product 

24 Safety Commission may promulgate a standard for 

25 equestrian helmets that incorporates all of the reVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:46 Dec 04, 2014 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2972.IS S2972

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1 quirements of the ASTM International standard des2 ignated as F1163 or successor standard. 

3 (2) INAPPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN LAWS.—Sec4 tions 7 and 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act 

5 (15 U.S.C. 2056 and 2058) shall not apply to the 

6 promulgation of a standard under paragraph (1), 

7 and section 11 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2060) shall 

8 not apply with respect to any standard promulgated 

9 under paragraph (1). 

10 (3) STATUS OF STANDARD.—A standard pro11 mulgated under paragraph (1) shall be considered a 

12 consumer product safety standard promulgated 

13 under the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 

14 2051 et seq.). 

15 (d) ENFORCEMENT.—An equestrian helmet subject 

16 to subsection (b) that does not meet the applicable stand17 ard specified in such subsection shall be considered in vio18 lation of a consumer product safety standard promulgated 

19 under the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2051 

20 et seq.). 

21 (e) AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

22 is authorized to be appropriated to the Consumer Product 

23 Safety Commission to carry out this section, $500,000 for 


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1 fiscal year 2014, which amount shall remain available 

2 until expended. 

Æ 


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