Senate Bill 739 Summary

• Defines "personal delivery device" as an electrically powered, autonomous device weighing no more than 500 pounds (excluding cargo), 40 inches long, and 30 inches wide, intended for cargo transport.

• Permits only business entities to operate personal delivery devices in pedestrian areas and on highways with remote operator monitoring and maximum speeds of 10 mph in pedestrian areas and 20 mph on highways (which must have speed limits of 35 mph or less).

• Requires personal delivery devices to obey traffic signals, yield to pedestrians and vehicles, carry identifying markers with owner information, maintain braking systems, and display front and rear lights when operated at night (visible from 500 feet).

• Mandates business operators maintain general liability insurance of at least $100,000 per claim for device operation.

• Allows local governments to regulate the time and place of personal delivery device operation by ordinance but prohibits complete bans, with this local authority provision effective December 1, 2022.