Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation to expand motorcycle safety and education opportunities. Senate Bill 838 allocates funding to three not-for-profit organizations to establish a motorcycle safety and education program in order to reduce motorcycle accidents in Florida.
The bill reallocates the motorcycle safety education fee received by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) for the Florida Motorcycle Safety Education Program to three Florida not-for-profit corporations which will administer motorcycle safety and education programs throughout the state. The programs may include pamphlets, advertisements, public service announcements, digital media, social media, a website, participation at grassroots motorcycle events, and advocacy.
“Florida is home to more than 650,000 motorcyclists who are able to ride all year long,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “It is important to continue promoting motorcycle safety and education programs that will prevent accidents and make our roads safer.”
To be selected as an administrator, the program administrators must be charities registered with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. One of the program administrators must be a motorcycle grassroots organization that has actively worked with the Florida motorcycle community for at least 30 years with a history of actively advocating for motorcycle safety and able to demonstrate membership geographically dispersed throughout the state of at least 5,000 members as of January 1, 2023. Two of the program administrators must be motorcycle grassroots organizations that have been in existence for at least 20 years with an established history of advocating for motorcycle safety and able to demonstrate membership geographically dispersed throughout the state of at least 1,000 members as of January 1, 2023.
