Bill Text: FL S1620 | 2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
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-Introduced.html
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-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1620 By Senator Brandes 24-01183D-21 20211620__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to autonomous vehicles; amending s. 3 316.003, F.S.; defining the term “low-speed autonomous 4 delivery vehicle”; amending s. 316.2122, F.S.; 5 authorizing the operation of a low-speed autonomous 6 delivery vehicle on certain streets and roads; 7 providing construction; authorizing the operation of a 8 low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle on streets or 9 roads with a posted speed limit of up to 45 miles per 10 hour under specified conditions; providing 11 requirements for low-speed autonomous delivery 12 vehicles; amending s. 316.215, F.S.; providing that 13 certain fully autonomous vehicles are not subject to 14 certain provisions of law or regulations; amending ss. 15 316.306 and 655.960, F.S.; conforming cross 16 references; providing an effective date. 17 18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 19 20 Section 1. Present subsections (38) through (105) of 21 section 316.003, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 22 subsections (39) through (106), respectively, a new subsection 23 (38) is added to that section, and present subsection (62) of 24 that section is amended, to read: 25 316.003 Definitions.—The following words and phrases, when 26 used in this chapter, shall have the meanings respectively 27 ascribed to them in this section, except where the context 28 otherwise requires: 29 (38) LOW-SPEED AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY VEHICLE.—A fully 30 autonomous vehicle that meets the definition of a low-speed 31 vehicle in 49 C.F.R. s. 571.3. 32 (63)(62)PRIVATE ROAD OR DRIVEWAY.—Except as otherwise 33 provided in paragraph (85)(b)(84)(b), any privately owned way 34 or place used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having 35 express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other 36 persons. 37 Section 2. Section 316.2122, Florida Statutes, is amended 38 to read: 39 316.2122 Operation of a low-speed vehicle,ormini truck, 40 or low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle on certain roadways.— 41 (1) The operation of a low-speed vehicle as defined in s. 42 320.01 or a mini truck as defined in s. 320.01 on any road is 43 authorized with the following restrictions: 44 (a)(1)A low-speed vehicle or mini truck may be operated 45 only on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per 46 hour or less. This does not prohibit a low-speed vehicle or mini 47 truck from crossing a road or street at an intersection where 48 the road or street has a posted speed limit of more than 35 49 miles per hour. 50 (b)(2)A low-speed vehicle must be equipped with headlamps, 51 stop lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps, reflex reflectors, 52 parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, seat belts, and 53 vehicle identification numbers. 54 (c)(3)A low-speed vehicle or mini truck must be registered 55 and insured in accordance with s. 320.02 and titled pursuant to 56 chapter 319. 57 (d)(4)Any person operating a low-speed vehicle or mini 58 truck must have in his or her possession a valid driver license. 59 (2) The operation of a low-speed autonomous delivery 60 vehicle on any road is authorized with the following 61 restrictions: 62 (a) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle may operate 63 only on streets or roads where the posted speed limit is 35 64 miles per hour or less. This paragraph does not prohibit a low 65 speed autonomous delivery vehicle from crossing a road or street 66 at an intersection where the road or street has a posted speed 67 limit of more than 35 miles per hour. 68 (b) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle may operate on 69 a street or road with a posted speed limit of more than 35 miles 70 per hour, but no more than 45 miles per hour, if: 71 1. The low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle travels no 72 more than 1 continuous mile on such a street or road, except 73 that the vehicle may travel in excess of 1 continuous mile if 74 authorized by the entity with jurisdiction over the street or 75 road; 76 2. The low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle operates 77 exclusively in the right lane, other than for the purpose of 78 completing a turn; and 79 3. On a two-lane street or road where overtaking and 80 passing another vehicle is unsafe because of traffic moving in 81 the opposite direction or because of other unsafe conditions, 82 and five or more vehicles are formed in a line behind the 83 autonomous delivery vehicle, the low-speed autonomous delivery 84 vehicle exits the roadway wherever a sufficient area for a safe 85 turn-out exists, to permit the vehicles following to proceed. 86 (c) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle must be 87 equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, 88 taillamps, reflex reflectors, and vehicle identification 89 numbers. 90 (d) Federal regulations adopted by the National Highway 91 Traffic Safety Administration shall supersede this subsection 92 when found to be in conflict with this subsection. 93 (3)(5)A county or municipality may prohibit the operation 94 of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under its 95 jurisdiction if the governing body of the county or municipality 96 determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of 97 safety. 98 (4)(6)The Department of Transportation may prohibit the 99 operation of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under 100 its jurisdiction if it determines that such prohibition is 101 necessary in the interest of safety. 102 Section 3. Present subsection (6) of section 316.215, 103 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (7), a new 104 subsection (6) is added to that section, and present subsection 105 (6) is republished, to read: 106 316.215 Scope and effect of regulations.— 107 (6) The provisions of any motor vehicle equipment laws or 108 regulations of this state which relate to or support motor 109 vehicle operation by a human driver but are not relevant for an 110 automated driving system shall not apply to fully autonomous 111 vehicles that are designed to be operated exclusively by the 112 automated driving system for all trips. 113 (7)(6)A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic 114 infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in 115 chapter 318. 116 Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 117 316.306, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 118 316.306 School and work zones; prohibition on the use of a 119 wireless communications device in a handheld manner.— 120 (3)(a)1. A person may not operate a motor vehicle while 121 using a wireless communications device in a handheld manner in a 122 designated school crossing, school zone, or work zone area as 123 defined in s. 316.003(106)s. 316.003(105). This subparagraph 124 shall only be applicable to work zone areas if construction 125 personnel are present or are operating equipment on the road or 126 immediately adjacent to the work zone area. For the purposes of 127 this paragraph, a motor vehicle that is stationary is not being 128 operated and is not subject to the prohibition in this 129 paragraph. 130 2.a. During the period from October 1, 2019, through 131 December 31, 2019, a law enforcement officer may stop motor 132 vehicles to issue verbal or written warnings to persons who are 133 in violation of subparagraph 1. for the purposes of informing 134 and educating such persons of this section. This sub 135 subparagraph shall stand repealed on October 1, 2020. 136 b. Effective January 1, 2020, a law enforcement officer may 137 stop motor vehicles and issue citations to persons who are 138 driving while using a wireless communications device in a 139 handheld manner in violation of subparagraph 1. 140 Section 5. Subsection (1) of section 655.960, Florida 141 Statutes, is amended to read: 142 655.960 Definitions; ss. 655.960-655.965.—As used in this 143 section and ss. 655.961-655.965, unless the context otherwise 144 requires: 145 (1) “Access area” means any paved walkway or sidewalk which 146 is within 50 feet of any automated teller machine. The term does 147 not include any street or highway open to the use of the public, 148 as defined in s. 316.003(85)(a) or (b)s. 316.003(84)(a) or (b), 149 including any adjacent sidewalk, as defined in s. 316.003. 150 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.