motorcycles; reckless driving

Plain English Breakdown

The official text does not list an exact calendar date for effectiveness, only stating it becomes effective on the 'general effective date' defined by state law.

HB2941: New Rules for Motorcycle Lane Splitting and Reckless Driving

This law makes it reckless driving to ride a motorcycle between lanes or pass in the same lane, unless specific safety rules are followed.

What This Bill Does

• Classifies riding a motorcycle between traffic lanes as reckless driving if not authorized by current exceptions.
• Classifies passing another vehicle while staying in the same lane on a motorcycle as reckless driving.
• Defines these new violations as class 2 misdemeanors for first-time offenders.
• Increases penalties to a class 1 misdemeanor with mandatory jail time of at least twenty days for repeat offenses within 24 months.
• Allows judges to require drivers to surrender their licenses and order suspensions of up to ninety days upon conviction.

Who It Names or Affects

• Motorcycle operators who ride between lanes of traffic or pass in the same lane.
• Drivers convicted of reckless driving under these new rules.
• Courts that sentence individuals for violations of this law.
• The state department responsible for suspending driver licenses.

Terms To Know

Reckless Driving

Driving a vehicle in disregard for the safety of people or property, now including specific motorcycle lane violations.

Class 2 Misdemeanor

A type of criminal offense that carries penalties such as fines and potential jail time.

Lane Splitting

Operating a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or adjacent rows of vehicles.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law does not change the existing exceptions that allow motorcycles to pass stopped vehicles in the same lane.
• The text states the bill becomes effective on the general effective date but does not specify an exact calendar day for this act.

Official Summary Text

HB2941 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

REVISED

FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2941

motorcycles;
reckless driving

Purpose

����������� Classifies
operating a motorcycle between the lanes of traffic or to overtake and pass a
vehicle in the same lane as reckless driving, which is a class 2 misdemeanor, except
when authorized.

Background

����������� All motorcycles are entitled to the full use
of a lane. However, the operator of a motorcycle may not overtake and pass in
the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken or
operate a
motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent rows of vehicles,
unless the operator is: 1) overtaking and passing a vehicle that is stopped in
the same lane and direction of travel as the operator; or 2) operating the
motorcycle between lanes of traffic if the movement may be made safely and the
operator operates the motorcycle at a speed that does not exceed 15 miles per
hour on a street that is divided into at least two adjacent traffic lanes in
the same direction of travel and has a speed limit of up to 45 miles per hour (
A.R.S.
� 28-903
)

����������� A
person who drives a vehicle in reckless disregard for the safety of persons or
property is guilty of reckless driving and, if convicted, guilty of a class 2
misdemeanor (
A.R.S.
� 28-693
).

����������� There
is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Classifies
the following as reckless driving, except when authorized:

a)

an operator of a motorcycle who overtakes and passes in the same lane
occupied by the vehicle being overtaken; and

b)

a person who operates a motorcycle between the lanes of traffic or
between adjacent rows of vehicles.

2.

Makes
conforming changes.

3.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

Revisions

1.

Corrects
the purpose statement to classify the act as reckless driving, which is a class
2 misdemeanor, rather than a class 2 misdemeanor.

2.

Clarifies
the purpose statement and provisions to classify the act as reckless driving,
except when authorized, rather than as prescribed.

House Action
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Senate
Action

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rd
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Prepared by
Senate Research

March 24, 2026

KJA/hk

Current Bill Text

Chapter 0261 - 572R - H Ver of HB2941

House Engrossed

motorcycles; reckless
driving

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

CHAPTER 261

HOUSE BILL 2941

AN
ACT

Amending section 28-693, Arizona Revised
Statutes; relating to motorcycles.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 28-693, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
28-693.

Reckless driving; violation; classification; license; surrender;
aiding and abetting

A. A person who drives a vehicle in reckless
disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving.

B. A person who operates a motorcycle
in violation of section 28-903, subsection B or C is guilty of reckless
driving.

B.
C.
A
person who is convicted of reckless driving is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

C.

D.
In
addition, the judge may require the surrender to a police officer of any driver
license of the convicted person, shall report the conviction to the department
and may order the driving privileges of the person to be suspended for a period
of not more than ninety days. On receipt of the abstract of
conviction and order, the department shall suspend the driving privilege of the
person for the period of time ordered by the judge.

D.

E.
If
a person who is convicted of a violation of this section has been previously
convicted of a violation of this section, section 13-1102 or section 13-1103,
subsection A, paragraph 1, in the driving of a vehicle, or section 28-694,
28-708, 28-1381, 28-1382 or 28-1383 within a period of
twenty-four months:

1. The person is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

2. The person is not eligible for probation, pardon,
suspension of sentence or release on any basis until the person has served not
less than twenty days in jail.

3. The judge may require the surrender to a police
officer of any driver license of the person and shall immediately forward the
abstract of conviction to the department.

4. On receipt of the abstract of conviction, the
department shall suspend the driving privilege of the person for one year.

E.

F.
A
person who knowingly aids or abets another person in the commission of a
violation of this section is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor, except that a
second or subsequent violation within a period of twenty-four months is a class
1 misdemeanor.

F.

G.
In
applying the twenty-four month period provision of subsection
D
E
of this section, the dates of
the commission of the offense shall be the determining factor, irrespective of
the sequence in which the offenses were committed.� A second or subsequent
violation for which a conviction occurs as provided in this section does not
include a conviction for an offense arising out of the same series of acts.

G.

H.
On
pronouncement of a jail sentence under this section, and after the court
receives confirmation that the person is employed or is a student, the court
may provide in the sentence that if the defendant is employed or is a student
the defendant can continue employment or schooling for not more than twelve
hours per day nor more than five days per week.� The defendant shall spend the
remaining days or parts of days in jail until the sentence is served and shall
be allowed out of jail only long enough to complete the defendant's actual
hours of employment or schooling.

H.

I.
After
completing not less than forty-five consecutive days of the suspension
period required by subsection
D
E

of this section, a person whose driving privilege is suspended for a violation
of this section and who is sentenced pursuant to subsection
D
E
of this section may apply to the department for a restricted
driver license that allows the person to operate a motor vehicle during the
period of suspension subject to the restrictions described in section 28-144.

END_STATUTE

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 22, 2026.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 22, 2026.