The governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, vetoed on Friday the SB 382 bill, a safety initiative for electric bicycles that had been unanimously approved by both chambers of the state Legislature, marking his first veto of legislation passed in 2026, reported Telemundo 51.
The project, known as "Micromobility Device," set a speed limit of 10 miles per hour for electric bike riders traveling within 50 feet of a pedestrian.
Those who violated the regulation would have faced fines exceeding $100, classified as traffic violations unrelated to vehicle movement.
DeSantis justified his decision by arguing that the measure opened the door to greater government surveillance over citizens.
"We do not need to create a system where people who use electric bikes are constantly monitored," the governor stated while explaining his veto.
In his official letter, DeSantis warned that implementing the speed limit "would inevitably require speed detection devices and surveillance, leading to increased oversight of individuals by law enforcement."
The project also mandated police agencies to collect data on accidents involving these vehicles—including the age of the driver, the type of bicycle, and the date of the incident—and established a specialized working group linked to the Department of Road Safety, comprising representatives from sheriffs, police chiefs, the industry, cities, counties, the medical sector, and cycling organizations. This group was to submit a report in October 2026 and then dissolve.
That very combination - studying the problem while imposing simultaneous restrictions - was another of the governor's arguments for rejecting the initiative.
"If the goal was to analyze the problem, the commission should have worked first before imposing new regulations," DeSantis noted.
The veto surprised legislators and traffic safety advocates, given the unanimous bipartisan support that the proposal had received: the Senate approved it on February 25, and the House did so on March 9.
The decision comes at a time of increasing concern over accidents involving bicycles and electric scooters in Florida, many of which involve minors.
In recent weeks, several serious incidents have been reported: a 17-year-old teenager was hospitalized after colliding with a car in West Palm Beach; two brothers, aged 15 and eight, were injured when their scooter crashed into a vehicle in Port St. Lucie; in Wellington, two young people were airlifted after losing control of an electric bike and hitting another minor; and in Jupiter, the death of a high school student in an e-bike accident prompted community meetings to discuss safety measures.
At the national level, emergency room visits due to micromobility accidents increased from 34,000 in 2017 to 93,100 in 2022, and individuals under 14 years old accounted for 36% of the injuries. Florida is among the five states with the highest number of these types of accidents in the country.
With the veto, the state regulations for electric bicycles remain unchanged: no license, registration, or insurance is required; those under 16 must wear a helmet; and only individuals aged 16 and older are allowed to operate a class 3 e-bike, which can reach speeds of up to 28 miles per hour.
Alongside SB 382, DeSantis also rejected two other bills approved by the Legislature, while signing other 15 measures, including the designation of segments of highway in Miami-Dade and Broward with the names of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and President Donald Trump, respectively.
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