Bill Text: FL H0797 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Bicycle Safety

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2012-03-09 - Died in Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/HB 1223 (Ch. [H0797 Detail]

Download: Florida-2012-H0797-Introduced.html

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HB 797

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to bicycle safety; amending s.
3	316.2065, F.S.; revising safety standard requirements
4	for bicycle helmets that must be worn by certain
5	riders and passengers; providing for enforcement of
6	requirements for bicycle lighting equipment; providing
7	penalties for violations; providing for dismissal of
8	the charge following a first offense under certain
9	circumstances; providing an effective date.
10
11	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13	Section 1.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) and subsection
14	(8) of section 316.2065, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
15	316.2065  Bicycle regulations.-
16	(3)
17	(d)  A bicycle rider or passenger who is under 16 years of
18	age must wear a bicycle helmet that is properly fitted and is
19	fastened securely upon the passenger's head by a strap, and that
20	meets the federal safety standard for bicycle helmets, final
21	rule, 16 C.F.R. part 1203. Helmets purchased before October 1,
22	2012, and meeting standards of the American National Standards
23	Institute (ANSI Z 90.4 Bicycle Helmet Standards), the standards
24	of the Snell Memorial Foundation (1984 Standard for Protective
25	Headgear for Use in Bicycling), or any other nationally
26	recognized standards for bicycle helmets adopted by the
27	department may continue to be worn by riders or passengers until
28	January 1, 2016. As used in this subsection, the term
29	"passenger" includes a child who is riding in a trailer or
30	semitrailer attached to a bicycle.
31	(8)  Every bicycle in use between sunset and sunrise shall
32	be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light
33	visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a
34	lamp and reflector on the rear each exhibiting a red light
35	visible from a distance of 600 feet to the rear. A bicycle or
36	its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition
37	to those required by this section. A law enforcement officer may
38	issue a bicycle safety brochure and a verbal warning to a
39	bicycle rider who violates this subsection. A bicycle rider who
40	violates this subsection may be issued a citation by a law
41	enforcement officer and assessed a fine for a pedestrian
42	violation, as provided in s. 318.18. The court shall dismiss the
43	charge against a bicycle rider for a first violation of this
44	subsection upon proof of purchase and installation of the proper
45	lighting equipment.
46	Section 2.  This act shall take effect October 1, 2012.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.