As of March 1, 2023, the state of Tennessee currently has a mandatory helmet law in place for motorcyclists. However, that could change for some riders if two state legislators have their way. Two bills have been introduced in the Tennessee House and Senate chambers that would, if enacted, exempt certain riders over the age of 21 from any requirement to wear a helmet while operating a motorcycle.
The two bills—HB 0042, introduced by Representative Jay Reedy and SB 1450, introduced by Senator Kerry Roberts—currently contain substantially the same language. The pair of bills seek to create a four-year pilot program that would no longer require riders aged 21 and older to wear helmets by law, as long as they do not receive health insurance through the state’s Medicaid program, TennCare. As currently written, the bill would require riders under age 21, as well as riders over the age of 21 who are insured under TennCare, to continue to wear helmets.
