Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1620 By Senator Brandes 24-01183D-21 20211620__ Page 1 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1

An act relating to autonomous vehicles; amending s. 2 316.003, F.S.; defining the term “low-speed autonomous 3 delivery vehicle”; amending s. 316.2122, F.S.; 4 authorizing the operation of a low-speed autonomous 5 delivery vehicle on certain streets and roads; 6 providing construction; authorizing the operation of a 7 low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle on streets or 8 roads with a posted speed limit of up to 45 miles per 9 hour under specified conditions; providing 10 requirements for low-speed autonomous delivery 11 vehicles; amending s. 316.215, F.S.; providing that 12 certain fully autonomous vehicles are not subject to 13 certain provisions of law or regulations; amending ss. 14 316.306 and 655.960, F.S.; conforming cross-15 references; providing an effective date. 16 17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18 19

Section 1. Present subsections (38) through (105) of 20

section 316.003, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 21 subsections (39) through (106), respectively, a new subsection 22 (38) is added to that section, and present subsection (62) of 23 that

section is amended, to read: 24 316.003

Definitions.—The following words and phrases, when 25 used in this chapter, shall have the meanings respectively 26 ascribed to them in this section, except where the context 27 otherwise requires: 28

(38) LOW-SPEED AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY VEHICLE.—A fully 29

Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1620 24-01183D-21 20211620__ Page 2 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. autonomous vehicle that meets the definition of a low-speed 30 vehicle in 49 C.F.R. s. 571.3. 31 (63)

(62) PRIVATE ROAD OR DRIVEWAY.—Except as otherwise 32 provided in paragraph (85)(b) (84)(b), any privately owned way 33 or place used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having 34 express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other 35 persons. 36

Section

Section 316.2122, Florida Statutes, is amended 37 to read: 38 316.2122 Operation of a low-speed vehicle, or mini truck, 39 or low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle on certain roadways.— 40

(1) The operation of a low-speed vehicle as defined in s. 41 320.01 or a mini truck as defined in s. 320.01 on any road is 42 authorized with the following restrictions: 43 (a)

(1) A low-speed vehicle or mini truck may be operated 44 only on streets where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per 45 hour or less. This does not prohibit a low-speed vehicle or mini 46 truck from crossing a road or street at an intersection where 47 the road or street has a posted speed limit of more than 35 48 miles per hour. 49 (b)

(2) A low-speed vehicle must be equipped with headlamps, 50 stop lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps, reflex reflectors, 51 parking brakes, rearview mirrors, windshields, seat belts, and 52 vehicle identification numbers. 53 (c)

(3) A low-speed vehicle or mini truck must be registered 54 and insured in accordance with s. 320.02 and titled pursuant to 55

chapter 319. 56 (d)

(4) Any person operating a low-speed vehicle or mini 57 truck must have in his or her possession a valid driver license. 58

Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1620 24-01183D-21 20211620__ Page 3 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.

(2) The operation of a low-speed autonomous delivery 59 vehicle on any road is authorized with the following 60 restrictions: 61 (

a) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle may operate 62 only on streets or roads where the posted speed limit is 35 63 miles per hour or less. This paragraph does not prohibit a low-64 speed autonomous delivery vehicle from crossing a road or street 65 at an intersection where the road or street has a posted speed 66 limit of more than 35 miles per hour. 67 (

b) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle may operate on 68 a street or road with a posted speed limit of more than 35 miles 69 per hour, but no more than 45 miles per hour, if: 70 1. The low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle travels no 71 more than 1 continuous mile on such a street or road, except 72 that the vehicle may travel in excess of 1 continuous mile if 73 authorized by the entity with jurisdiction over the street or 74 road; 75 2. The low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle operates 76 exclusively in the right lane, other than for the purpose of 77 completing a turn; and 78 3.

On a two-lane street or road where overtaking and 79 passing another vehicle is unsafe because of traffic moving in 80 the opposite direction or because of other unsafe conditions, 81 and five or more vehicles are formed in a line behind the 82 autonomous delivery vehicle, the low-speed autonomous delivery 83 vehicle exits the roadway wherever a sufficient area for a safe 84 turn-out exists, to permit the vehicles following to proceed. 85 (

c) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle must be 86 equipped with headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, 87

Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1620 24-01183D-21 20211620__ Page 4 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. taillamps, reflex reflectors, and vehicle identification 88 numbers. 89 (

d) Federal regulations adopted by the National Highway 90 Traffic Safety Administration shall supersede this subsection 91 when found to be in conflict with this subsection. 92 (3)

(5) A county or municipality may prohibit the operation 93 of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under its 94 jurisdiction if the governing body of the county or municipality 95 determines that such prohibition is necessary in the interest of 96 safety. 97 (4)

(6) The Department of Transportation may prohibit the 98 operation of low-speed vehicles or mini trucks on any road under 99 its jurisdiction if it determines that such prohibition is 100 necessary in the interest of safety. 101

Section 3. Present subsection (6) of

section 316.215, 102 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (7), a new 103 subsection (6) is added to that section, and present subsection 104 (6) is republished, to read: 105 316.215 Scope and effect of regulations.— 106

(6) The provisions of any motor vehicle equipment laws or 107 regulations of this state which relate to or support motor 108 vehicle operation by a human driver but are not relevant for an 109 automated driving system shall not apply to fully autonomous 110 vehicles that are designed to be operated exclusively by the 111 automated driving system for all trips. 112 (7)

(6) A violation of this

section is a noncriminal traffic 113 infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in 114

chapter 318. 115

Section 4. Paragraph (

a) of subsection (3) of

section 116

Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1620 24-01183D-21 20211620__ Page 5 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. 316.306, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 117 316.306 School and work zones; prohibition on the use of a 118 wireless communications device in a handheld manner.— 119 (3)(a)1. A person may not operate a motor vehicle while 120 using a wireless communications device in a handheld manner in a 121 designated school crossing, school zone, or work zone area as 122 defined in s. 316.003(106) s. 316.003(105).

This subparagraph 123 shall only be applicable to work zone areas if construction 124 personnel are present or are operating equipment on the road or 125 immediately adjacent to the work zone area. For the purposes of 126 this paragraph, a motor vehicle that is stationary is not being 127 operated and is not subject to the prohibition in this 128 paragraph. 129 2.a.

During the period from October 1, 2019, through 130 December 31, 2019, a law enforcement officer may stop motor 131 vehicles to issue verbal or written warnings to persons who are 132 in violation of subparagraph 1. for the purposes of informing 133 and educating such persons of this section. This sub-134 subparagraph shall stand repealed on October 1, 2020. 135 b. Effective January 1, 2020, a law enforcement officer may 136 stop motor vehicles and issue citations to persons who are 137 driving while using a wireless communications device in a 138 handheld manner in violation of subparagraph 1. 139

Section 5. Subsection (1) of

section 655.960, Florida 140 Statutes, is amended to read: 141 655.960

Definitions; ss. 655.960-655.965.—As used in this 142

section and ss. 655.961-655.965, unless the context otherwise 143 requires: 144 (1) “Access area” means any paved walkway or sidewalk which 145

Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1620 24-01183D-21 20211620__ Page 6 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. is within 50 feet of any automated teller machine. The term does 146 not include any street or highway open to the use of the public, 147 as defined in s. 316.003(85)(

a) or (

b) s. 316.003(84)(

a) or (b), 148 including any adjacent sidewalk, as defined in s. 316.003. 149

Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021. 150