# Virginia HB343: Helmets; wearing whenever riding/carried on skateboard or scooter or nonmotorized scooter. Virginia HB343, Helmets; wearing whenever riding/carried on skateboard or scooter or nonmotorized scooter., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Marty Martinez (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0114)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB343-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB343 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Helmets; wearing whenever riding/carried on skateboard or scooter or nonmotorized scooter. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-12 - Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0114) - Sponsor: Marty Martinez (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 7 (173 yes, 45 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary Helmets; local authority. Permits localities to adopt ordinances requiring children 14 years of age or younger to wear protective helmets whenever riding or being carried on a motorized skateboard or scooter or a nonmotorized scooter. Current law authorizes localities to adopt such ordinances for riders of bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, toy vehicles, and electric power-assisted bicycles. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Local helmet rules for young riders: mixed, low. Counties, cities, and towns can require helmets for children age 14 or younger riding or being carried on covered devices. This is a local choice, not a statewide helmet requirement. Covered devices include bicycles, electric power-assisted bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, to… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Marty Martinez (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 | | | 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-02 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-02-26 | Senate | Reported from Transportation | pass | 8 | 4 | 1 | | 2026-01-28 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 75 | 22 | | | 2026-01-22 | House | Reported from Transportation | pass | 21 | 0 | | | 2026-01-21 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 9 | 0 | | ## Actions (26) - 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0114) (Governor) - 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 114 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-10: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB343ER) (House) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-10: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-03: Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Reported from Transportation (8-Y 4-N 1-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Read third time and passed House (75-Y 22-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-01-27: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2026-01-27: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House) - 2026-01-26: Read first time (House) - 2026-01-22: Reported from Transportation (21-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-21: Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-19: Assigned HTRAN sub: Highway Safety and Policy (House) - 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Transportation (House) - 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100504D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216460.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216459.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197840.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197839.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185497.HTML) - Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083923.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083922.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216460.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216459.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197840.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197839.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1185497.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083923.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083922.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB343-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).