Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1258
By
Senator Davis
5-01077-26 20261258__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to delivery of commercial goods by
3 autonomous vehicles; amending s. 316.85, F.S.;
4 prohibiting the use of an autonomous vehicle to
5 deliver commercial goods directly to a residence or
6 business for use or retail sale unless a licensed
7 human operator is physically present in the autonomous
8 vehicle; requiring the Department of Highway Safety
9 and Motor Vehicles to submit to the Legislature a
10 report evaluating the use of certain autonomous
11 vehicle technology and its impacts on public safety
12 and employment in the transportation sector by a
13 certain date; providing requirements for the report;
14 requiring the department to consult with certain
15 entities and independent experts in preparing the
16 report; providing an effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. Present subsection (6) of section 316.85,
21 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (7),
22 respectively, and a new subsection (6) is added to that section,
23 to read:
24 316.85 Autonomous vehicles; operation; compliance with
25 traffic and motor vehicle laws; testing.—
26
(6)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an
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autonomous vehicle may not be used to deliver commercial goods
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directly to a residence or business for use or retail sale
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unless a licensed human operator is physically present in the
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autonomous vehicle.
31 Section 2.
(1)
By January 1, 2031, or 5 years after the
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commencement of any use of autonomous vehicles to deliver
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commercial goods directly to a residence or business for use or
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retail sale, whichever occurs later, the Department of Highway
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Safety and Motor Vehicles shall submit to the President of the
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Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report
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evaluating the use of such autonomous vehicle technology and its
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impact on public safety and employment in the transportation
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sector.
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(2) The report must include all of the following:
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(a) A summary of disengagements of autonomous vehicle
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technology, related vehicle crashes, and any other information
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the department deems relevant.
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(b) A recommendation on whether the Legislature should
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remove, amend, or maintain the requirement in s.
316.85
(6),
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Florida Statutes, that licensed human operators be physically
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present in
autonomous vehicle
s
used to deliver commercial goods
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directly to a residence or business for use or retail sale
.
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(3) In preparing the report under subsection (2), the
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department shall consult with all of the following:
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(a) The Florida Highway Patrol regarding traffic impacts,
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driver and passenger safety risks, and impacts on other
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motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
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(b) The Department of Commerce regarding job-related
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impacts, including any worker displacement and shortcomings in
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retraining opportunities.
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(c) The Department of Transportation regarding
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infrastructure impacts, deficiencies, and needs.
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(d) Independent experts regarding the performance of
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autonomous vehicle technology, public safety impacts, and any
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other relevant factors in considering the deployment of such
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technology.
63 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.