Senate Bill 0996e1
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SB 996 First Engrossed
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to motor vehicles; amending s.
3 316.003, F.S.; providing official traffic
4 control devices and traffic control devices are
5 the same and do not include certain pavement
6 undulations; amending s. 316.008, F.S.;
7 authorizing local governments to regulate
8 certain pavement undulations; amending s.
9 316.0745, F.S.; providing certain pavement
10 undulations are exempt from certain
11 prohibitions concerning uniform traffic control
12 devices; creating s. 316.2122, F.S.;
13 authorizing the use of low-speed vehicles on
14 certain public roads; providing restrictions
15 for such operation; amending s. 320.01, F.S.;
16 providing a speed restriction for golf carts;
17 defining the term "low-speed vehicle"; defining
18 the term "utility vehicle"; amending s.
19 320.08001, F.S.; prescribing a license tax for
20 low-speed vehicles; amending s. 316.2126, F.S.;
21 authorizing the use of golf carts and utility
22 vehicles by municipalities for municipal
23 purposes and subject to certain conditions;
24 amending s. 320.105, F.S.; exempting golf carts
25 and utility vehicles from requirements to
26 display license plates; amending s. 325.203,
27 F.S.; exempting golf carts and utility vehicles
28 from inspection requirements; providing an
29 effective date.
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31 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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SB 996 First Engrossed
1 Section 1. Subsection (23) of section 316.003, Florida
2 Statutes, is amended to read:
3 316.003 Definitions.--The following words and phrases,
4 when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings
5 respectively ascribed to them in this section, except where
6 the context otherwise requires:
7 (23) OFFICIAL TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES.--All signs,
8 signals, markings, and devices, not inconsistent with this
9 chapter, placed or erected by authority of a public body or
10 official having jurisdiction for the purpose of regulating,
11 warning, or guiding traffic. As used in this chapter, official
12 traffic control devices and traffic control devices shall have
13 the same meaning and shall not include speed bumps, speed
14 humps, speed tables or other pavement undulations.
15 Section 2. Paragraph (w) of subsection (1) of section
16 316.008, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
17 316.008 Powers of local authorities.--
18 (1) The provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed
19 to prevent local authorities, with respect to streets and
20 highways under their jurisdiction and within the reasonable
21 exercise of the police power, from:
22 (w) Regulating, restricting, or monitoring traffic by
23 security devices or personnel on public streets and highways,
24 whether by public or private parties and providing for the
25 construction and maintenance of such streets and highways
26 which shall include, but not be limited to, the installation
27 of speed bumps, speed humps, speed tables or other pavement
28 undulations.
29 Section 3. A new subsection (9) is added to section
30 316.0745, Florida Statutes, to read:
31 316.0745 Uniform signals and devices.--
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SB 996 First Engrossed
1 (9) The prohibitions set out in this section shall not
2 apply to the installation of speed bumps, speed humps, speed
3 tables or other pavement undulations.
4 Section 4. Section 316.2122, Florida Statutes, is
5 created to read:
6 316.2122 Operation of a low-speed vehicle on certain
7 roadways.--The operation of a low-speed vehicle, as defined in
8 s. 320.01(42), upon the public roads or streets of this state
9 is authorized with the following restrictions:
10 (1) A low-speed vehicle may be operated only on
11 streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or
12 less. This does not prohibit a low-speed vehicle from crossing
13 a road or street at an intersection where the road or street
14 has a posted speed limit of more than 35 miles per hour.
15 (2) A low-speed vehicle must be equipped with
16 headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps, reflex
17 reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields,
18 seat belts, and vehicle identification numbers.
19 (3) A low-speed vehicle must be registered and insured
20 in accordance with s. 320.02.
21 (4) Any person operating a low-speed vehicle must have
22 in his or her possession a valid driver's license.
23 (5) A county or municipality may prohibit the
24 operation of low-speed vehicles on any street or highway under
25 its jurisdiction if the governing body of the county or
26 municipality determines that such prohibition is necessary in
27 the interest of safety.
28 (6) The Department of Transportation may prohibit the
29 operation of low-speed vehicles on any street or highway under
30 its jurisdiction if it determines that such prohibition is
31 necessary in the interest of safety.
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SB 996 First Engrossed
1 Section 5. Subsection (22) of section 320.01, Florida
2 Statutes, is amended and subsections (42) and (43) are added
3 to that section to read:
4 320.01 Definitions, general.--As used in the Florida
5 Statutes, except as otherwise provided, the term:
6 (22) "Golf cart" means a motor vehicle that is
7 designed and manufactured for operation on a golf course for
8 sporting or recreational purposes and that is not capable of
9 exceeding speeds of 20 miles per hour.
10 (42) "Low-speed vehicle" means any four-wheeled
11 electric vehicle whose top speed is greater than 20 miles per
12 hour but not greater than 25 miles per hour, including
13 neighborhood electric vehicles. Low-speed vehicles must comply
14 with the safety standards in 49 C.F.R. 571.500 and s.
15 316.2122.
16 (43) "Utility vehicle" means a motor vehicle designed
17 and manufactured for general maintenance, security, and
18 landscaping purposes, but the term does not include any
19 vehicle designed or used primarily for the transportation of
20 persons or property on a street or highway, or a golf cart, or
21 an all-terrain vehicle as defined in s. 316.2074.
22 Section 6. Section 320.08001, Florida Statutes, is
23 amended to read:
24 320.08001 Electric vehicles; license tax.--The license
25 tax for an electric vehicle or low-speed vehicle is the same
26 as that prescribed in s. 320.08, for a vehicle that is not
27 electrically powered.
28 Section 7. Section 316.2126, Florida Statutes, is
29 amended to read:
30 316.2126 Use of golf carts and utility vehicles by
31 certain municipalities.--In addition to the powers granted by
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SB 996 First Engrossed
1 ss. 316.212 and 316.2125, municipalities older than 400 years
2 old are hereby authorized to utilize golf carts and utility
3 vehicles, as defined in s. 320.01, upon any state, county, or
4 municipal roads located within the corporate limits of such
5 municipalities, subject to the following conditions:
6 (1) Golf carts and utility vehicles must comply with
7 the operational and safety requirements operated beyond the
8 authority granted in ss. 316.212 and 316.2125 and shall may
9 only be operated by municipal employees for municipal
10 purposes, including, but not limited to, police patrol,
11 traffic enforcement, and inspection of public facilities.
12 (2) In addition to the safety equipment required in s.
13 316.212(6), such golf carts and utility vehicles must be
14 equipped with sufficient lighting and turn signal equipment.
15 (3) The Golf carts and utility vehicles may only be
16 operated on state roads that have a posted speed limit of 30
17 miles per hour or less.
18 Section 8. Section 320.105, Florida Statutes, is
19 amended to read:
20 320.105 Golf carts and utility vehicles;
21 exemption.--Golf carts and utility vehicles, as defined in s.
22 320.01, when operated in accordance with s. 316.212 or s.
23 316.2126, are exempt from provisions of this chapter which
24 require the registration of vehicles or the display of license
25 plates.
26 Section 9. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of section
27 325.203, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
28 325.203 Motor vehicles subject to annual inspection;
29 exemptions.--
30 (4) The following motor vehicles are not subject to
31 inspection:
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SB 996 First Engrossed
1 (c) Golf carts and utility vehicles, as defined in s.
2 320.01.
3 Section 10. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
4 law.
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