Florida E-Bike Safety Bill Heads to DeSantis After Unanimous Legislative Passage

A bill imposing the first statewide speed limits on electric bicycles cleared both chambers of the Florida Legislature without a single opposing vote and now sits on Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk waiting for his signature.

SB 382 would require e-bike riders to slow to 10 mph whenever a pedestrian is within 50 feet on sidewalks or shared-use paths. Violators could face a $30 fine. The Florida Senate passed the measure unanimously on Feb. 25, and the House followed with its own unanimous vote this week. If DeSantis signs it, the law takes effect July 1.

The bill also creates the Micromobility Device Safety Task Force, charged with developing recommendations to improve traffic safety for e-bike riders and pedestrians alike. A report with legislative suggestions is due by October 1, 2026. Separately, state and local law enforcement would be required to maintain a running list of all e-bike and micromobility device crashes beginning 30 days after the bill becomes law through September 30, 2026, capturing the date and time of each incident, the class of e-bike involved, and the age and driver's license status of the operator. That list must be submitted to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles agency by October 15, 2026, and the agency must forward the task force report and the full crash list to the governor, the Senate president, and the House speaker by October 31, 2026.

The legislation defines electric bicycles as a bicycle or tricycle equipped with fully operable pedals, a seat or saddle, and an electric motor of less than 750 watts that provides pedaling assistance. Under current Florida statutes, e-bikes are already classified as bicycles, subject to the same rules and responsibilities as traditional bikes.

The state bill arrives as some Florida communities have already moved on their own. Marco Island strengthened its local e-bike ordinance in July 2025, setting a 12-mph ceiling on sidewalks and shared-use paths, requiring riders to yield to pedestrians, and mandating the use of bells or voice signals when passing. The city has issued just two citations under that ordinance in the eight months since.

Marco Island resident Elliot Mascoop, who shared his concerns at a WINK Listens community event, described near-collisions with fast-moving riders who gave no warning. "So many times, people just come from behind; I just have to jump out of the way. I have to almost fall onto the grass because they're coming at you from behind on the sidewalk. And they don't use bells, and they speed by," Mascoop said. He called the speed problem fundamental: "There's no reason that people should be able to drive a vehicle on the sidewalks almost as fast as you're driving a car on the street."

Mascoop wants the legislature to go further, arguing that e-bikes should be sold with speed governors installed and required to carry audible warning devices. "I mean, do everything you can so that there's no accidents, because it's so much easier to prevent than to heal from a serious accident," he said.

Those broader measures, including possible minimum age requirements, licensing, and registration, are not part of SB 382 as passed, but fall squarely within the scope the new task force is expected to examine before its October report is due.