Bill Text: FL S1620 | 2021 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Autonomous Vehicles
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (? 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-26 - Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/HB 1289 (Ch. 2021-233) [S1620 Detail]
Download: Florida-2021-S1620-Comm_Sub.html
Florida Senate - 2021 CS for CS for SB 1620 By the Committees on Rules; and Transportation; and Senator Brandes 595-04572-21 20211620c2 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to autonomous vehicles; amending s. 3 316.003, F.S.; revising the definition of the term 4 “autocycle”; defining the term “low-speed autonomous 5 delivery vehicle”; amending s. 316.2122, F.S.; 6 authorizing the operation of a low-speed autonomous 7 delivery vehicle on certain streets and roads; 8 providing construction; authorizing the operation of a 9 low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle on streets or 10 roads with a posted speed limit of up to 45 miles per 11 hour under specified conditions; providing 12 requirements for low-speed autonomous delivery 13 vehicles; amending s. 316.215, F.S.; providing that 14 certain fully autonomous vehicles are not subject to 15 certain provisions of law or regulations; amending ss. 16 316.306 and 655.960, F.S.; conforming cross 17 references; providing an effective date. 18 19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 20 21 Section 1. Present subsections (38) through (105) of 22 section 316.003, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 23 subsections (39) through (106), respectively, a new subsection 24 (38) is added to that section, and subsection (2) and present 25 subsection (62) of that section are amended, to read: 26 316.003 Definitions.—The following words and phrases, when 27 used in this chapter, shall have the meanings respectively 28 ascribed to them in this section, except where the context 29 otherwise requires: 30 (2) AUTOCYCLE.—A three-wheeled motorcycle that has two 31 wheels in the front and one wheel in the back; is equipped with 32 a roll cage or roll hoops, a seat belt for each occupant, 33antilockbrakes that meet the requirements of Federal Motor 34 Vehicle Safety Standard No. 122, a steering mechanismwheel, and 35 seating that does not require the operator to straddle or sit 36 astride it; and is manufactured in accordance with the 37 applicable federal motorcycle safety standards in 49 C.F.R. part 38 571 by a manufacturer registered with the National Highway 39 Traffic Safety Administration. 40 (38) LOW-SPEED AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY VEHICLE.—A fully 41 autonomous vehicle that meets the definition of a low-speed 42 vehicle in 49 C.F.R. s. 571.3. 43 (63)(62)PRIVATE ROAD OR DRIVEWAY.—Except as otherwise 44 provided in paragraph (85)(b)(84)(b), any privately owned way 45 or place used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having 46 express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other 47 persons. 48 Section 2. Section 316.2122, Florida Statutes, is amended 49 to read: 50 316.2122 Operation of a low-speed vehicle,ormini truck, 51 or low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle on certain roadways.— 52 (1) The operation of a low-speed vehicle as defined in s. 53 320.01 or a mini truck as defined in s. 320.01 on any road is 54 authorized with the following restrictions: 55 (a)(1)A low-speed vehicle or mini truck may be operated 56 only on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per 57 hour or less. This does not prohibit a low-speed vehicle or mini 58 truck from crossing a road or street at an intersection where 59 the road or street has a posted speed limit of more than 35 60 miles per hour. 61 (b)(2)A low-speed vehicle must be equipped with headlamps, 62 stop lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps, reflex reflectors, 63 parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, seat belts, and 64 vehicle identification numbers. 65 (c)(3)A low-speed vehicle or mini truck must be registered 66 and insured in accordance with s. 320.02 and titled pursuant to 67 chapter 319. 68 (d)(4)Any person operating a low-speed vehicle or mini 69 truck must have in his or her possession a valid driver license. 70 (2) The operation of a low-speed autonomous delivery 71 vehicle on any road is authorized with the following 72 restrictions: 73 (a) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle may operate 74 only on streets or roads where the posted speed limit is 35 75 miles per hour or less. This paragraph does not prohibit a low 76 speed autonomous delivery vehicle from crossing a road or street 77 at an intersection where the road or street has a posted speed 78 limit of more than 35 miles per hour. 79 (b) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle may operate on 80 a street or road with a posted speed limit of more than 35 miles 81 per hour, but no more than 45 miles per hour, if: 82 1. The low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle travels no 83 more than 1 continuous mile on such a street or road, except 84 that the vehicle may travel in excess of 1 continuous mile if 85 authorized by the entity with jurisdiction over the street or 86 road; 87 2. The low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle operates 88 exclusively in the right lane, other than for the purpose of 89 completing a turn; and 90 3. On a two-lane street or road where overtaking and 91 passing another vehicle is unsafe because of traffic moving in 92 the opposite direction or because of other unsafe conditions, 93 and five or more vehicles are formed in a line behind the 94 autonomous delivery vehicle, the low-speed autonomous delivery 95 vehicle exits the roadway wherever a sufficient area for a safe 96 turn-out exists, to permit the vehicles following to proceed. 97 (c) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle must be 98 equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, 99 taillamps, reflex reflectors, and vehicle identification 100 numbers. 101 (d) Federal regulations adopted by the National Highway 102 Traffic Safety Administration shall supersede this subsection 103 when found to be in conflict with this subsection. 104 (e) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle must be covered 105 by a policy of automobile insurance which provides the coverage 106 required by s. 627.749(2)(a)1., 2., and 3. The coverage 107 requirements of this paragraph may be satisfied by automobile 108 insurance maintained by the owner of a low-speed autonomous 109 delivery vehicle, the owner of the teleoperation system, the 110 remote human operator, or a combination thereof. 111 (3)(5)A county or municipality may prohibit the operation 112 of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under its 113 jurisdiction if the governing body of the county or municipality 114 determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of 115 safety. 116 (4)(6)The Department of Transportation may prohibit the 117 operation of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under 118 its jurisdiction if it determines that such prohibition is 119 necessary in the interest of safety. 120 Section 3. Present subsection (6) of section 316.215, 121 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (7), a new 122 subsection (6) is added to that section, and present subsection 123 (6) is republished, to read: 124 316.215 Scope and effect of regulations.— 125 (6) The provisions of any motor vehicle equipment laws or 126 regulations of this state which relate to or support motor 127 vehicle operation by a human driver but are not relevant for an 128 automated driving system shall not apply to fully autonomous 129 vehicles that are designed to be operated exclusively by the 130 automated driving system for all trips. 131 (7)(6)A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic 132 infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in 133 chapter 318. 134 Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 135 316.306, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 136 316.306 School and work zones; prohibition on the use of a 137 wireless communications device in a handheld manner.— 138 (3)(a)1. A person may not operate a motor vehicle while 139 using a wireless communications device in a handheld manner in a 140 designated school crossing, school zone, or work zone area as 141 defined in s. 316.003(106)s. 316.003(105). This subparagraph 142 shall only be applicable to work zone areas if construction 143 personnel are present or are operating equipment on the road or 144 immediately adjacent to the work zone area. For the purposes of 145 this paragraph, a motor vehicle that is stationary is not being 146 operated and is not subject to the prohibition in this 147 paragraph. 148 2.a. During the period from October 1, 2019, through 149 December 31, 2019, a law enforcement officer may stop motor 150 vehicles to issue verbal or written warnings to persons who are 151 in violation of subparagraph 1. for the purposes of informing 152 and educating such persons of this section. This sub 153 subparagraph shall stand repealed on October 1, 2020. 154 b. Effective January 1, 2020, a law enforcement officer may 155 stop motor vehicles and issue citations to persons who are 156 driving while using a wireless communications device in a 157 handheld manner in violation of subparagraph 1. 158 Section 5. Subsection (1) of section 655.960, Florida 159 Statutes, is amended to read: 160 655.960 Definitions; ss. 655.960-655.965.—As used in this 161 section and ss. 655.961-655.965, unless the context otherwise 162 requires: 163 (1) “Access area” means any paved walkway or sidewalk which 164 is within 50 feet of any automated teller machine. The term does 165 not include any street or highway open to the use of the public, 166 as defined in s. 316.003(85)(a) or (b)s. 316.003(84)(a) or (b), 167 including any adjacent sidewalk, as defined in s. 316.003. 168 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.