,i  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #deeb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,may #a1 #bjad ,mr4  
,himes 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,carney1 ,ms4 
,esty1 and ,mr4 ,larson of ,connecticut7
 introduced the following bill2 which   
was referred to the ,committee on       
,energy and ,commerce  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
encourage and ensure the use of safe    
equestrian helmets1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,christen           
,o',donnell ,equestrian ,helmet ,safety 
,act of #bjac4  #b4 ,findings ,the      
,congress finds the following3  7#a7    
,head injuries are the number one reason
 for hospital admissions of horseback   
riders and the leading cause of death   
following a horseback riding injury4    
7#b7 ,over #ajj deaths per year are     
estimated to result from equestrian     
related activities1 with head injuries  
accounting for #c of every #e of these  
deaths4  7#c7 ,nearly #fh1jjj people    
visited the emergency room in #bjab as a

 result of horseback riding related     
injuries1 with head injuries accounting 
for #bb percent and concussions         
accounting for #g percent of these      
visits4  7#d7 ,horseback riding causes  
#aa4g percent of sports-related         
traumatic brain injuries1 which is the  
largest percentage of any recreational  
sport4  7#e7 ,between #bjja and #bjji1  
children under #ai made #c1fch emergency
 room visits per year for traumatic     
brain injuries resulting from horseback 
riding accidents4  7#f7 ,between #ge and
 #hj percent of head injuries occur     
while physically mounted on a           
horse--when a rider would normally be   
wearing his or her helmet4  7#g7 ,racing
 organizations require helmets1 and as a
 result jockeys now sustain fewer head  
injuries than pleasure riders4  7#h7    
,the ,u4,s4 ,pony ,clubs lowered head   
injury rates by #bi percent through     
mandatory helmet use4  7#i7 ,properly   
fitted ,,astm_/,,sei certified helmets  
can reduce head injury-related deaths by

 #gj to #hj percent4  #c4 ,standards    
7a7 ,in general ,every equestrian helmet
 manufactured on or after the date that 
is #i months after the date of enactment
 of this ,act shall meet--  7#a7 the    
interim standard specified in subsection
 7b71 pending the establishment of a    
final standard pursuant to subsection   
7c72 and  7#b7 the final standard1 once 
that standard has been established under
 subsection 7c74  7b7 ,interim standard 
,the interim standard for equestrian    
helmets is the ,american ,society for   
,testing and ,materials 7,,astm7        
standard designated as ,f#aafc4  7c7    
,final standard  7#a7 ,requirement ,not 
later than #fj days after the date of   
enactment of this ,act1 the ,consumer   
,product ,safety ,commission shall begin
 a proceeding under section #eec of     
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 to--   
7,a7 establish a final standard for     
equestrian helmets that incorporates all
 the requirements of the interim        
standard specified in subsection 7b72   

7,b7 provide in the final standard a    
mandate that all approved equestrian    
helmets be certified to the requirements
 promulgated under the final standard by
 an organization that is accredited to  
certify personal protection equipment in
 accordance with ,,iso ,guide #fe2 and  
7,c7 include in the final standard any  
additional provisions that the          
,commission considers appropriate4  7#b7
 ,inapplicability of certain laws       
,sections #g and #i of the ,consumer    
,product ,safety ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4    
#bjef and #bjeh7 shall not apply to the 
proceeding under this subsection1 and   
section #aa of such ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 
#bjfj7 shall not apply with respect to  
any standard issued under such          
proceeding4  7#c7 ,effective date ,the  
final standard shall take effect not    
later than #a year after the date it is 
issued4  7d7 ,failure ,to meet standards
  7#a7 ,failure to meet interim standard
 ,until the final standard takes effect1
 an equestrian helmet that does not meet

 the interim standard1 required under   
subsection 7a77#a71 shall be considered 
in violation of a consumer product      
safety standard promulgated under the   
,consumer ,product ,safety ,act4  7#b7  
,status of final standard ,the final    
standard developed under subsection 7c7 
shall be considered a consumer product  
safety standard promulgated under the   
,consumer ,product ,safety ,act4  #d4   
,authorizations of appropriations       
,there is authorized to be appropriated 
to the ,consumer ,product ,safety       
,commission to carry out this ,act1     
#ejj1jjj for fiscal year #bjad1 which   
amount shall remain available until     
expended4  #e4 ,definitions ,in this    
,act3  7#a7 ,approved equestrian helmet 
,the term approved equestrian helmet    
means an equestrian helmet that meets-- 
7,a7 the interim standard specified in  
section #c7;b71 pending establishment of
 a final standard under section #c7;c72 
and  7,b7 the final standard1 once it is
 effective under section #c7;c74  7#b7  

,equestrian helmet ,the term equestrian 
helmet means a hard shell head covering 
intended to be worn while participating 
in an equestrian event or activity4