SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria introduced AB 2392 to establish a safety helmet exception for a person who wears a turban as an expression of the person’s religious belief and practice when riding on a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycle.
Currently, existing law requires a driver and a passenger to wear a safety helmet meeting certain requirements when riding on a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or motorized bicycle.
California is home to half of the Sikhs in the United States – an estimated quarter million people. Sikhism is a monotheistic faith with origins in 15th century India whose followers are best recognized by the turbans many men and some women wear.
Many Sikhs are motorcycle enthusiasts and they deserve to continue their privilege to ride while at the same time, respecting their freedom of religion in a way that supports safety.
“AB 2392 ensures we safeguard our Sikh community's right to practice their religious expression freely, while also protecting their and other motorcyclists’ safety on California’s roads” said Assemblywoman Soria.
"Freedom of religion is a fundamental right and the Sikh Council of Central California is happy to work with the California legislature to support this bill that will allow Sikh motorcyclists to fully express their faith while celebrating their California dream," shared in support, Sukhdev Cheema and Rajwinderpal Singh (Officers of the Sikh Council of Central California).
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