A Louisiana House of Representatives committee has approved the repeal of the state's requirement that adult motorcycle riders wear helmets.
The Transportation Committee's approval moves the bill by Rep. Mert Smiley of Port Vincent to the full House for debate.
The bill would require motorcycle riders under age 18 to wear helmets, but not adults.
Louisiana is one of 20 states that require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, a statute that safety activists say saves lives in accidents. Smiley and others argue that wearing a helmet should be a personal decision and also that helmets can contribute to crashes by limiting bikers' vision.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
