Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1528
       
       
        
       By Senator Collins
       
       
       
       
       
       14-01236-24                                           20241528__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to violations against vulnerable road
    3         users; creating s. 318.195, F.S.; providing a short
    4         title; providing criminal penalties for a person who
    5         commits a moving violation that causes serious bodily
    6         injury to, or causes the death of, a vulnerable road
    7         user; requiring the person to pay a specified fine,
    8         serve a minimum period of house arrest, and attend a
    9         driver improvement course; requiring the court to
   10         revoke the person’s driver license for a specified
   11         period; defining the term “vulnerable road user”;
   12         providing construction; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 318.195, Florida Statutes, is created to
   17  read:
   18         318.195 Enhanced penalties for moving violations causing
   19  injury or death to vulnerable road users.—
   20         (1) This section may be cited as the “Vulnerable Road User
   21  Act.”
   22         (2) A person who commits a moving violation that causes
   23  serious bodily injury, as defined in s. 316.1933(1)(b), to a
   24  vulnerable road user commits a misdemeanor of the second degree,
   25  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and must,
   26  upon conviction, pay a fine of not less than $1,500, serve a
   27  minimum of 30 days of house arrest, and attend a department
   28  approved driver improvement course relating to the rights of
   29  vulnerable road users relative to vehicles on the roadway as
   30  provided in s. 322.0261(2). The court shall also revoke the
   31  person’s driver license for at least 30 days.
   32         (3) A person who commits a moving violation that causes the
   33  death of a vulnerable road user commits a misdemeanor of the
   34  first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
   35  775.083, and must, upon conviction, pay a fine of not less than
   36  $5,000, serve a minimum of 180 days of house arrest, and attend
   37  a department-approved driver improvement course relating to the
   38  rights of vulnerable road users relative to vehicles on the
   39  roadway as provided in s. 322.0261(2). The court shall also
   40  revoke the person’s driver license for at least 1 year.
   41         (4) As used in this section, the term “vulnerable road
   42  user” has the same meaning as in s. 316.027(1).
   43         (5) This section does not prohibit a person from being
   44  charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation
   45  of law.
   46         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.