Representatives in the House debate the cost of freedom – the freedom to ride a motorcyle without a helmet. It has approved a bill that would allow motorcyclists to ride without helmets. Some oppose the bill, saying it will raise medical costs because of the head injuries that will result. But Representative Mark Wright of Springfield points out several motorcyle clubs have shunned Missouri, because of the state’s helmet law. In the mid-1970s, Congress removed highway funding sanctions against states that didn’t have helmet laws. Supporters point out many states did lift the requirement, with Nebraska being the only neighbor of Missouri that has kept it in place. The bill now moves to the Senate.
