HB0243 • 2026

Electric Bicycles

Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Government Operations Subcommittee ; Benarroch ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Barnaby ; Bartleman ; Blanco ; Booth ; Cobb ; Conerly ; Cross ; Daley ; Eskamani ; Gerwig ; Gossett-Seidman ; Harris ; Hunschofsky ; López, J. ; Michael ; Robinson, F. ; Rosenwald ; Snyder ; Spencer ; Tant
Last action: 2026-03-09
Official status: House - Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 382
Effective date: Except as

Plain English Breakdown

The bill specifies penalties as 'noncriminal traffic infraction' and 'nonmoving violation,' but does not list specific dollar amounts for fines.

New Rules for Electric Bicycles and Safety Reporting

This bill sets new safety rules for riding electric bicycles near pedestrians on sidewalks and shared paths, creates a task force to study bicycle laws, and requires police agencies to track crashes involving these bikes.

What This Bill Does

Requires riders on shared pathways not next to roads (including in parks) to yield to pedestrians and make an audible sound before passing them.
Limits the speed of electric bicycles to 10 miles per hour when a pedestrian is within 50 feet while riding on sidewalks or areas for walking.
Creates a new Electric Bicycle Safety Task Force that works with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).
Requires law enforcement agencies, including police departments, sheriff's offices, and the Florida Highway Patrol, to keep records of all traffic crashes they investigate involving electric bicycles.
Mandates that local police and sheriffs submit crash data reports by October 15, 2026, which DHSMV will summarize for state leaders.

Who It Names or Affects

People who operate electric bicycles on sidewalks or shared pathways
The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV)
Law enforcement agencies including police departments, sheriff's offices, and the Florida Highway Patrol
Members appointed to serve on the Electric Bicycle Safety Task Force

Terms To Know

Shared pathway: A path used by different types of travelers that is not next to a road, such as those found in parks.
Noncriminal traffic infraction: A violation of traffic rules that results in a penalty but does not count as a criminal offense or moving violation on a driving record.
Task Force: A temporary group created to study specific issues and make recommendations for new laws or regulations.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact fine amounts for breaking the new electric bicycle rules.
The task force will expire on October 1, 2026, so it cannot make recommendations after that date without a new law.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

268047

Floor amendment H 243 c1 • Benarroch

Filed

Plain English: This amendment creates a new Micromobility Device Safety Task Force to study safety laws and requires police agencies to track crashes involving electric bikes and scooters.

Creates the Micromobility Device Safety Task Force with members from law enforcement, local governments, medical fields, and industry groups.
Requires the task force to meet monthly in North, Central, and South Florida to recommend new safety laws by October 1, 2026.
Mandates that police departments and sheriff's offices keep a list of all crashes involving micromobility devices with details like date, time, operator age, and license status.
Requires the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to collect crash data from local agencies and submit a summary report by October 31, 2026.

The amendment text is truncated at the end, so some specific details about how the final report must be formatted or distributed are missing.
The exact definition of 'micromobility device' used for these new rules depends on other parts of the bill not included in this amendment.

Bill History

2026-03-09 House
• Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 382
2026-02-17 House
• Temporarily postponed, on 2nd Reading • Added to Second Reading Calendar
2026-02-10 House
• Bill added to Special Order Calendar (2/17/2026)
2026-02-03 House
• Favorable by State Affairs Committee • Reported out of State Affairs Committee • Bill released to House Calendar • Added to Second Reading Calendar
2026-01-30 House
• Added to State Affairs Committee agenda
2026-01-29 House
• Favorable by Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee • Reported out of Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee • Now in State Affairs Committee
2026-01-27 House
• Added to Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee agenda
2026-01-23 House
• Referred to Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee
2026-01-22 House
• Reported out of Government Operations Subcommittee • Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a) • CS Filed • 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2026-01-21 House
• Favorable with CS by Government Operations Subcommittee
2026-01-16 House
• PCS added to Government Operations Subcommittee agenda
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-10-28 House
• Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee • Referred to Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Government Operations Subcommittee
2025-10-22 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Electric Bicycles; Provides requirements for operation of electric bicycles; provides penalties; creates Electric Bicycle Safety Task Force adjunct to DHSMV & provides requirements therefor; requires certain reports to Governor & Legislature by specified dates.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

CS/HB 243 2026

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hb243-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to electric bicycles; amending s. 2
316.20655, F.S.; providing requirements for the 3
operation of electric bicycles; providing penalties; 4
creating s. 316.20658, F.S.; creating the Electric 5
Bicycle Safety Task Force adjunct to the Department of 6
Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; requiring the 7
department to provide staff to assist the task force; 8
providing the purpose of the task force; providing for 9
the membership of the task force and the appointment 10
of task force members; providing a timeline in which 11
appointments must be made and the manner in which 12
vacancies on the task force must be filled; requiring 13
that the task force convene within a specified 14
timeframe; providing requirements for the time and 15
location of the task force meetings; providing for 16
members of the task force to be reimbursed for per 17
diem and travel expenses; requiring a report to the 18
Governor and Legislature by a specified date; 19
providing for the expiration of the task force; 20
providing for future repeal; requiring certain law 21
enforcement agencies to maintain certain statistics 22
during a specified timeframe; requiring certain law 23
enforcement agencies to submit a report to the 24
department by a specified date; requiring the 25

CS/HB 243 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

department to submit a report to the Governor and 26
Legislature by a specified date; providing effective 27
dates. 28
29
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 30
31
Section 1. Effective July 1, 2026, subsection (10) is 32
added to section 316.20655, Florida Statutes, to read: 33
316.20655 Electric bicycle regulations.— 34
(10)(a) A person operating an electric bicycle on a shared 35
pathway that is not located adjacent to a roadway, including a 36
shared pathway located in a park or recreational area, must 37
yield to any pedestrian and must give an audible signal before 38
overtaking and passing such pedestrian. 39
(b) A person operating an electric bicycle on a sidewalk 40
or any other area designated for pedestrian use may not operate 41
an electric bicycle at a speed greater than 10 miles per hour 42
when a pedestrian is within 50 feet of the electric bicycle. 43
(c) A person who fails to comply with this subsection 44
commits a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a 45
nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318. 46
Section 2. Section 316.20658, Florida Statutes, is created 47
to read: 48
316.20658 Electric Bicycle Safety Task Force.— 49
(1) CREATION.—The Electric Bicycle Safety Task Force, a 50

CS/HB 243 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

task force as defined in s. 20.03(5), is created adjunct to the 51
department. The department shall provide administrative and 52
staff support services related to the functions of the task 53
force. 54
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the task force is to examine 55
and recommend improvements to state law and the regulatory 56
framework governing electric bicycles in order to encourage the 57
safe operation of electric bicycles and to prevent traffic 58
incidents, injuries, and fatalities involving such bicycles. 59
(3) MEMBERSHIP; MEETINGS.— 60
(a) The task force shall be composed of the executive 61
director of the department, or his or her designee; the 62
Secretary of Transportation, or his or her designee; and the 63
following members, who shall be appointed by the executive 64
director: 65
1. A representative from the Florida Sheriffs Association. 66
2. A representative from the Florida Police Chiefs 67
Association. 68
3. A representative from the electric bicycle industry. 69
4. A representative from the Florida League of Cities. 70
5. A representative from the Florida Association of 71
Counties. 72
6. A representative from the medical field with experience 73
in treating bicyclist and pedestrian injuries. 74
7. A representative from an organization involved in 75

CS/HB 243 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

efforts to prevent injuries and fatalities involving bicycles, 76
including electric bicycles. 77
(b) Appointments to the task force shall be made within 15 78
days after this act becomes a law. 79
(c) The executive director of the department, or his or 80
her designee, shall chair the task force, and a vacancy on the 81
task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original 82
appointment. 83
(d) The task force shall convene no later than 30 days 84
after this act becomes a law. The task force shall meet at least 85
monthly but may meet more frequently at the call of the chair. 86
At least one meeting of the task force shall occur in each of 87
the following regions of this state: North Florida, Central 88
Florida, and South Florida. All meetings shall be held at the 89
time and place designated by the chair. 90
(e) Members of the task force shall serve without 91
compensation but shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for 92
per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061. 93
(4) REPORT.—The task force shall prepare a report that 94
includes legislative recommendations for improvements to state 95
law and the regulatory framework governing electric bicycles. 96
The report should take into account methods to improve traffic 97
safety for electric bicycle operators and riders, pedestrians, 98
and other vehicle operators through reasonable measures designed 99
to reduce traffic incidents, injuries, and fatalities. 100

CS/HB 243 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(a) Before October 1, 2026, the task force shall submit 101
the report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the 102
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 103
(b) Upon submission of the report, the task force shall 104
expire. 105
(5) REPEAL.—This section is repealed October 1, 2026. 106
Section 3. (1) Beginning 30 days after this act becomes a 107
law, the Florida Highway Patrol and each police department and 108
sheriff's office in this state must maintain a list of all the 109
traffic crashes that each respective agency investigates which 110
involve an electric bicycle. Each electric bicycle crash must be 111
included in the list regardless of whether the crash is reported 112
on a long or short form traffic crash report or a driver 113
exchange-of-information form. Each entry in the list must 114
contain the following information concerning each traffic crash 115
involving an electric bicycle: 116
(a) The date and time of the crash. 117
(b) The class of electric bicycle involved in the crash. 118
(c) The age of the electric bicycle operator involved in 119
the crash. 120
(d) If known, whether the electric bicycle operator 121
possessed a valid Florida learner's driver license or driver 122
license at the time of the crash. 123
(2) By October 15, 2026, each police department and 124
sheriff's office in this state must submit a report to the 125

CS/HB 243 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles which contains a 126
list of all electric bicycle crashes investigated by each agency 127
from the beginning of the reporting period through September 30, 128
2026. The information must be submitted in a form and manner 129
determined by the department. 130
(3) By October 31, 2026, the department must submit a 131
report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the 132
Speaker of the House of Representatives summarizing the reports 133
submitted to the department pursuant to subsection (2) and 134
include in the report the list maintained by the Florida Highway 135
Patrol. The report must separate the electric bicycle crash data 136
by county, listing the reporting law enforcement agencies within 137
each county. 138
Section 4. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 139
act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 140