Overland Park could become the latest Johnson County city to require kids on electronic bikes and scooters to wear helmets or else face a fine.
It’s the latest step in a long line of discussions among residents and local officials in Johnson County about how to keep kids safe when they ride the increasingly popular devices.
Just last month, Overland Park established a new set of city codes prohibiting anyone under the age of 16 from riding class 3 e-bikes, which are throttle-assisted bikes capable of reaching higher speeds.
On Wednesday, the Overland Park City Council Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to recommend adoption of a helmet ordinance, as well.
The new ordinance, if ultimately approved by the full city council, would take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The city and police department plan to conduct a public education campaign in advance of enforcement.
How they voted
Here’s how members of the public safety committee voted:
• Gregg Riess, who chairs the committee: Yes
• Josh Beck: Yes
• Logan Heley: Yes
• Melissa Cheatham: Yes
• Richard Borlaza: Yes
• Inas Younis: Yes
What’s in Overland Park’s helmet rule?
The proposed ordinance would impose a helmet requirement on any e-bike or e-scooter driver or passenger who is under the age of 18.
Olathe, Leawood, Shawnee, Fairway and Prairie Village have similar helmet rules already on their books.
Helmets would need to meet the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s helmet standards, including a chin strap. Find out more about helmet standards here.
It also establishes a $10 fine for children who are first-time offenders, but the Overland Park Municipal Court can dismiss the fine if the child can show proof of purchase or receipt of a helmet through a donation or other means.
Repeat violations will garner $25 fines that cannot be dismissed.
Senior Assistant City Attorney Eric Blevins told the committee on Wednesday that the fines need to be low since they will be issued to kids.
“We felt that was an appropriate amount,” he said. “We kind of maintain that the statute, as drafted, emphasizes safety and education over any punishment.”
Councilmember Gregg Riess, who chairs the committee, has been a vocal proponent of a helmet ordinance and urged city staff to return with one after the first round of e-bike and e-scooter rules passed in May.
“The spirit here is that we want kids to wear helmets; we think it’s wise,” Riess said on Wednesday.
Councilmember Inas Younis was also supportive.
“Any kind of friction that you create that sort of is a form of social signaling that we encourage you to wear helmets, and when you don’t, there are consequences,” she said. “I think that it is effective in changing behaviors.”
Some helmet requirement hesitation remains
In the past, some members of the public safety committee had expressed trepidation about pursuing a helmet ordinance for younger e-bike and e-scooter riders.
While Councilmembers Melissa Cheatham and Logan Heley still maintained some of that hesitation on Wednesday, they both ultimately voted to support the ordinance moving forward.
“I am OK with this, but I think we really need to double down on our investments in safe infrastructure,” Cheatham said, pointing to Overland Park’s walkability and alternative transportation planning efforts.
She urged the city to start “moving with urgency” on transportation plans “so that we can start actually improving the infrastructure because that’s really the solution.”
Heley offered similar sentiments, saying that he sees general traffic calming efforts around the city, as well as pedestrian and bike safety upgrades, as “far more impactful” than new ordinances.
“I guess I view this more as working on a symptom, as opposed to trying to work on the cause,” he said.
Next steps:
Now, the proposed ordinance goes to the Overland Park City Council for consideration, potentially as soon as this coming Monday’s meeting.
Since the committee’s vote was unanimous, the ordinance is likely to be on the city council’s consent agenda, which means it likely won’t be individually discussed before councilmembers vote on it with a series of other committee items.
If ultimately approved, the new helmet ordinance would take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Keep reading: RideKC e-bikes hit Overland Park streets — How you can ride one
