Motorcycles - Protective Headgear Requirement - Exception (In Remembrance of Gary "Pappy" Boward)

SB 397 amends Maryland's motorcycle safety law to create an exception to the mandatory protective headgear requirement. It exempts riders aged 21 or older who have held a motorcycle license for at least two years, completed an approved safety course, or are passengers riding with such a rider. The bill also specifies that not wearing headgear cannot be used as evidence of negligence in court and clarifies that liability for defective headgear remains with manufacturers. This change directly affects experienced motorcycle riders and their passengers in Maryland starting October 1, 2025.