HB 353 & SB 712-Relating to Autonomous Vehicles

On Monday, January 22nd,  HB 353, by Rep. Jason Fischer (R-Jacksonville) was heard by the House Appropriations Committee and passed by a vote of 20 yeas to 0 nays. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this bill.

On Thursday, January 25th, SB 712, by Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) was heard before the Senate Committee on Transportation and passed unanimously by a vote of 7 yeas to 0 nays. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this bill.

These bills authorize the use of vehicles in autonomous mode in the state. The autonomous technology would be considered the human operator of the motor vehicle and provides that various provisions of law regarding motor vehicles such as rendering aid in the event of a crash do not apply to vehicles in autonomous mode where a human operator is not physically present as long as the vehicle owner promptly contacts law enforcement. The bill also addresses the applicability of laws regarding unattended motor vehicles and passenger restraint requirements as they relate to vehicles operating in autonomous mode where a human operator is not physically present in the vehicle.

HB 353 will now move on to the House Government Accountability Committee to be heard. 

SB 712 will now move on to the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance to be heard. 

AIF SUPPORTS legislation that modernizes state law to accommodate for self-driving technologies and open the door for safe, reliable modes of autonomous vehicles in a competitive marketplace.