THE BILL ITSELF
CS/HB 243
Electric Bicycles
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to electric bicycles; amending s.
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316.20655, F.S.; providing requirements for the
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operation of electric bicycles; providing penalties;
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creating s. 316.20658, F.S.; creating the Electric
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Bicycle Safety Task Force adjunct to the Department of
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Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; requiring the
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department to provide staff to assist the task force;
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providing the purpose of the task force; providing for
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the membership of the task force and the appointment
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of task force members; providing a timeline in which
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appointments must be made and the manner in which
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vacancies on the task force must be filled; requiring
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that the task force convene within a specified
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timeframe; providing requirements for the time and
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location of the task force meetings; providing for
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members of the task force to be reimbursed for per
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diem and travel expenses; requiring a report to the
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Governor and Legislature by a specified date;
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providing for the expiration of the task force;
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providing for future repeal; requiring certain law
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enforcement agencies to maintain certain statistics
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during a specified timeframe; requiring certain law
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enforcement agencies to submit a report to the
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department by a specified date; requiring the
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department to submit a report to the Governor and
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Legislature by a specified date; providing effective
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dates.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Effective July 1, 2026, subsection (10) is
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added to section 316.20655, Florida Statutes, to read:
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316.20655 Electric bicycle regulations.—
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(10)(a) A person operating an electric bicycle on a shared
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pathway that is not located adjacent to a roadway, including a
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shared pathway located in a park or recreational area, must
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yield to any pedestrian and must give an audible signal before
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overtaking and passing such pedestrian.
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(b) A person operating an electric bicycle on a sidewalk
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or any other area designated for pedestrian use may not operate
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an electric bicycle at a speed greater than 10 miles per hour
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when a pedestrian is within 50 feet of the electric bicycle.
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(c) A person who fails to comply with this subsection
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commits a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a
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nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.
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Section 2. Section 316.20658, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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316.20658 Electric Bicycle Safety Task Force.—
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(1) CREATION.—The Electric Bicycle Safety Task Force, a
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task force as defined in s. 20.03(5), is created adjunct to the
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department. The department shall provide administrative and
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staff support services related to the functions of the task
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force.
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(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the task force is to examine
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and recommend improvements to state law and the regulatory
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framework governing electric bicycles in order to encourage the
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safe operation of electric bicycles and to prevent traffic
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incidents, injuries, and fatalities involving such bicycles.
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(3) MEMBERSHIP; MEETINGS.—
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(a) The task force shall be composed of the executive
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director of the department, or his or her designee; the
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Secretary of Transportation, or his or her designee; and the
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following members, who shall be appointed by the executive
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director:
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1. A representative from the Florida Sheriffs Association.
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2. A representative from the Florida Police Chiefs
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Association.
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3. A representative from the electric bicycle industry.
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4. A representative from the Florida League of Cities.
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5. A representative from the Florida Association of
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Counties.
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6. A representative from the medical field with experience
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in treating bicyclist and pedestrian injuries.
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7. A representative from an organization involved in
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efforts to prevent injuries and fatalities involving bicycles,
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including electric bicycles.
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(b) Appointments to the task force shall be made within 15
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days after this act becomes a law.
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(c) The executive director of the department, or his or
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her designee, shall chair the task force, and a vacancy on the
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task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original
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appointment.
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(d) The task force shall convene no later than 30 days
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after this act becomes a law. The task force shall meet at least
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monthly but may meet more frequently at the call of the chair.
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At least one meeting of the task force shall occur in each of
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the following regions of this state: North Florida, Central
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Florida, and South Florida. All meetings shall be held at the
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time and place designated by the chair.
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(e) Members of the task force shall serve without
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compensation but shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for
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per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061.
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(4) REPORT.—The task force shall prepare a report that
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includes legislative recommendations for improvements to state
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law and the regulatory framework governing electric bicycles.
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The report should take into account methods to improve traffic
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safety for electric bicycle operators and riders, pedestrians,
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and other vehicle operators through reasonable measures designed
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to reduce traffic incidents, injuries, and fatalities.
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(a) Before October 1, 2026, the task force shall submit
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the report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
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Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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(b) Upon submission of the report, the task force shall
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expire.
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(5) REPEAL.—This section is repealed October 1, 2026.
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Section 3. (1) Beginning 30 days after this act becomes a
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law, the Florida Highway Patrol and each police department and
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sheriff's office in this state must maintain a list of all the
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traffic crashes that each respective agency investigates which
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involve an electric bicycle. Each electric bicycle crash must be
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included in the list regardless of whether the crash is reported
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on a long or short form traffic crash report or a driver
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exchange-of-information form. Each entry in the list must
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contain the following information concerning each traffic crash
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involving an electric bicycle:
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(a) The date and time of the crash.
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(b) The class of electric bicycle involved in the crash.
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(c) The age of the electric bicycle operator involved in
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the crash.
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(d) If known, whether the electric bicycle operator
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possessed a valid Florida learner's driver license or driver
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license at the time of the crash.
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(2) By October 15, 2026, each police department and
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sheriff's office in this state must submit a report to the
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Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles which contains a
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list of all electric bicycle crashes investigated by each agency
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from the beginning of the reporting period through September 30,
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2026. The information must be submitted in a form and manner
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determined by the department.
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(3) By October 31, 2026, the department must submit a
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report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
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Speaker of the House of Representatives summarizing the reports
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submitted to the department pursuant to subsection (2) and
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include in the report the list maintained by the Florida Highway
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Patrol. The report must separate the electric bicycle crash data
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by county, listing the reporting law enforcement agencies within
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each county.
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Section 4. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
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act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.