S. 5274Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Ride in Freedom Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated August 11, 2026 at 5:54 AM UTC

The Ride in Freedom Act would stop the District of Columbia from requiring anyone to wear a protective helmet while operating or riding a motorcycle or motor‑driven cycle. It removes the current DC helmet rule and blocks the city government from creating similar requirements in the future. The bill affects riders and passengers of motorcycles and motor‑driven cycles in Washington, D.C.

Key Provisions

Bars the D.C. Council and Mayor from enacting or enforcing any law that makes helmets mandatory for motorcycle or motor‑driven cycle riders.
Repeals the existing D.C. regulation that requires helmets for those vehicles.
Amends the D.C. Home Rule Act to prevent the city from adding new helmet‑requirement provisions.
Provides definitions for “helmet,” “motorcycle,” and “motor‑driven cycle” as used in the Act.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

August 6, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

August 6, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

August 6, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued August 6, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5274

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

August 6, 2026

Mr. Sheehy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To prohibit the District of Columbia from requiring a person to wear a protective helmet to operate, or ride on, a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Ride in Freedom Act.

Prohibition on requiring helmet requirement to operate motorcycle in District of Columbia

(a)

In general

The Council of the District of Columbia may not enact, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia may not enforce, any act, resolution, or other requirement that prohibits a person from operating, or riding on, a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle unless wearing a protective helmet.

(b)

Repeal of existing requirement

Section 2215.3 title 18 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, as added by section 7(o)(2) of the Motorized Bicycle Amendment Act of 2012 (D.C. Law 19–290), is repealed.

(c)

Conforming amendment to Home Rule Act

Section 602(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1–206.02(a), D.C. Official Code) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (9), by striking office; or and inserting office;;

(2)

in paragraph (10), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(11)

enact any act, resolution, regulation or other requirement that prohibits a person from operating, or riding on, a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle unless wearing a protective helmet (as those terms are defined in the Ride in Freedom Act).

(d)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Helmet

The term helmet means a helmet that meets the standards set forth in section 741 of title 18 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations.

(2)

Motorcycle; motor-driven cycle

The terms motorcycle and motor-driven cycle have the meanings given those terms in section 9901 of title 18 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations.