CS for SB 382                                    First Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       2026382e1
       
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to micromobility devices; amending s.
    3         316.20655, F.S.; providing requirements for the
    4         operation of electric bicycles; prohibiting the
    5         operation of an electric bicycle above a certain speed
    6         under certain circumstances; providing penalties;
    7         creating the Micromobility Device Safety Task Force
    8         adjunct to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
    9         Vehicles; requiring the department to provide
   10         administrative and staff support services to the task
   11         force; providing the purpose of the task force;
   12         providing the composition of the task force; requiring
   13         the appointment of task force members within a
   14         specified timeframe; providing the manner in which
   15         task force vacancies must be filled; requiring that
   16         the task force convene within a certain timeframe;
   17         requiring the task force to meet at least monthly;
   18         providing requirements for the time and place of the
   19         task force meetings; providing that members of the
   20         task force are entitled to reimbursement for per diem
   21         and travel expenses; requiring the task force to
   22         develop and submit a certain report to the Governor
   23         and Legislature by a specified date; providing for the
   24         expiration of the task force; requiring the Florida
   25         Highway Patrol and each police department and
   26         sheriff’s office to maintain a certain list, beginning
   27         on a certain date; providing requirements for the
   28         list; requiring each police department and sheriff’s
   29         office to submit a certain report to the department by
   30         a specified date; requiring the department to provide
   31         a certain report to the Governor and Legislature by a
   32         specified date; providing effective dates.
   33          
   34  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   35  
   36         Section 1. Effective July 1, 2026, subsection (10) is added
   37  to section 316.20655, Florida Statutes, to read:
   38         316.20655 Electric bicycle regulations.—
   39         (10)(a)A person operating an electric bicycle on a shared
   40  pathway that is not located adjacent to a roadway, including a
   41  shared pathway located in a park or recreational area, shall
   42  yield to pedestrians and shall give an audible signal before
   43  overtaking and passing a pedestrian.
   44         (b)A person operating an electric bicycle on a sidewalk or
   45  any other area designated for pedestrian use may not operate the
   46  electric bicycle at a speed greater than 10 miles per hour if a
   47  pedestrian is within 50 feet of the electric bicycle.
   48         (c)A person who fails to comply with this subsection
   49  commits a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a
   50  nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.
   51         Section 2. Micromobility Device Safety Task Force.—
   52         (1) CREATION.—The Micromobility Device Safety Task Force, a
   53  task force as defined in s. 20.03(5), Florida Statutes, is
   54  created adjunct to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
   55  Vehicles. The department shall provide administrative and staff
   56  support services related to the functions of the task force.
   57         (2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the task force is to examine
   58  and recommend improvements to state law and the regulatory
   59  framework governing micromobility devices as defined in s.
   60  316.003, Florida Statutes, in order to encourage the safe
   61  operation of micromobility devices and to prevent traffic
   62  incidents, injuries, and fatalities involving such devices.
   63         (3) MEMBERSHIP; MEETINGS.—
   64         (a) The task force shall be composed of the executive
   65  director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles,
   66  or his or her designee; the Secretary of Transportation, or his
   67  or her designee; and the following members, who shall be
   68  appointed by the executive director of the Department of Highway
   69  Safety and Motor Vehicles:
   70         1.A representative from the Florida Sheriffs Association.
   71         2.A representative from the Florida Police Chiefs
   72  Association.
   73         3.A representative from the micromobility device industry.
   74         4.A representative from the Florida League of Cities.
   75         5.A representative from the Florida Association of
   76  Counties.
   77         6.A representative from the medical field with experience
   78  in treating bicyclist and pedestrian injuries.
   79         7.A representative from an organization involved in
   80  efforts to prevent injuries and fatalities involving
   81  micromobility devices, including electric bicycles and motorized
   82  scooters.
   83         (b)Appointments to the task force must be made within 15
   84  days after this act becomes a law.
   85         (c)The executive director of the Department of Highway
   86  Safety and Motor Vehicles, or his or her designee, shall chair
   87  the task force. Any vacancy on the task force must be filled in
   88  the same manner as the original appointment.
   89         (d)The task force shall convene no later than 30 days
   90  after this act becomes a law. The task force shall meet at least
   91  monthly, but may meet more frequently at the call of the chair.
   92  At least one meeting of the task force must occur in each of the
   93  following regions of the state: North Florida, Central Florida,
   94  and South Florida. All meetings shall be held at the time and
   95  place designated by the chair.
   96         (e) Members of the task force shall serve without
   97  compensation but are entitled to receive reimbursement for per
   98  diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida
   99  Statutes.
  100         (4) REPORT.—The task force shall prepare a report that
  101  includes legislative recommendations for improvements to state
  102  law and the regulatory framework governing micromobility
  103  devices. The report must take into account methods to improve
  104  traffic safety for micromobility device operators and riders,
  105  pedestrians, and other vehicle operators through reasonable
  106  measures designed to reduce traffic incidents, injuries, and
  107  fatalities. Before October 1, 2026, the task force shall submit
  108  the report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
  109  Speaker of the House of Representatives. Upon submission of the
  110  report, the task force shall expire.
  111         Section 3. (1) Beginning 30 days after this act becomes a
  112  law, the Florida Highway Patrol and each police department and
  113  sheriff’s office shall maintain a list of all traffic crashes
  114  that the respective agency investigates which involve a
  115  micromobility device. Each micromobility device crash must be
  116  included in the list, regardless of whether the crash is
  117  reported on a Florida Traffic Crash Report, Long Form; short
  118  form crash report; or driver exchange-of-information form. The
  119  list must contain the following information for each traffic
  120  crash involving a micromobility device:
  121         (a)Date and time of the crash.
  122         (b)If applicable, the class of electric bicycle involved
  123  in the crash.
  124         (c)Age of the micromobility device operator involved in
  125  the crash.
  126         (d)If known, whether the micromobility device operator
  127  possessed a valid Florida learner’s driver license or driver
  128  license at the time of the crash.
  129         (2)By October 15, 2026, each police department and
  130  sheriff’s office shall submit a report to the Department of
  131  Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles which contains a list of all
  132  micromobility device crashes investigated by the respective
  133  police department or sheriff’s office from the beginning of the
  134  reporting period through September 30, 2026. The report must be
  135  submitted in a form and manner determined by the department.
  136         (3)By October 31, 2026, the Department of Highway Safety
  137  and Motor Vehicles shall submit to the Governor, the President
  138  of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a
  139  report summarizing the reports submitted to the department
  140  pursuant to subsection (2) and include in the report the list
  141  maintained by the Florida Highway Patrol pursuant to subsection
  142  (1). The report must separate the micromobility device crash
  143  data by device type and county and list the reporting law
  144  enforcement agencies within each county.
  145         Section 4. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
  146  act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.