Section 1. Section 17B-2a-829 is enacted to read:17B-2a-829. Information on autonomous vehicle transit.(1)A large public transit district shall complete a request for information in accordance with Section 63G-6a-409 to gather information regarding a large scale implementation of an autonomous vehicle network for public transit.(2)A large public transit district shall coordinate the request for information described in Subsection (1) with relevant stakeholders.(3)The request for information described in Subsection (1) shall include inquiries addressing:(a)autonomous vehicle technology;(b)timelines and feasibility for implementation of an autonomous vehicle public transit network;(c)financial implications;(d)benefits and drawbacks of different strategies; and(e)other considerations relevant to autonomous vehicle public transit.(4)On or before November 30, 2026, a large public transit district shall report to the Transportation Interim Committee regarding the information gathered under this section.

Section 2. Section 41-26-102.1 is amended to read:41-26-102.1. Definitions. As used in this chapter:(1)"ADS-dedicated vehicle" means a vehicle: (a)designed to be operated exclusively by a level four ADS or level five ADS for all trips within the given operational design domain limitations of the ADS, if any.; and(b)that conforms to all applicable U.S. federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards in effect on the date of the vehicle's manufacture.(2)"ADS-equipped vehicle" means a vehicle with a level three, level four, or level five ADS that is designed for:(a)complete trips in driverless operation under routine or normal operating conditions within the vehicle's operation design domain; or (b)operation by an in-vehicle driver.(2)(3)(a)"Automated driving system" or "ADS" means the hardware and software that are: (i)collectively capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis, regardless of whether the ADS is limited to a specific operational design domain, if any.; and(ii)conforming to all applicable U.S. federal motor vehicle safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards in effect on the date of the vehicle's manufacture.(b)"Automated driving system" or "ADS" is used specifically to describe a level three, four, or five driving automation system.(3)(4)"Commission" means the State Tax Commission as defined in Section 59-1-101.(4)(5)"Conventional driver" means a human driver who is onboard the motor vehicle and manually performs some or all of the following actions in order to operate a vehicle:(a)braking;(b)accelerating;(c)steering; and(d)transmission gear selection input devices.(5)(6)(a)"Dispatch" means to place an ADS-equipped vehicle into service in driverless operation by engaging the ADS.(b)"Dispatch" includes software-enabled dispatch of multiple ADS-equipped motor vehicles in driverless operation that may complete multiple trips involving pick-up and drop-off of passengers or goods throughout a day or other pre-defined periods of service, and which may involve multiple agents performing various tasks related to the dispatch function.(6)(7)"Division" means the Motor Vehicle Division of the commission, created in Section 41-1a-106.(7)(8)"Driverless operation" means the operation of an ADS-equipped vehicle in which:(a)no on-board user is present; or(b)no on-board user is a human driver with a valid driver license or fallback-ready user.(8)(9)"Driverless operation dispatcher" means a user who dispatches an ADS-equipped vehicle in driverless operation.(9)(10)"Driving automation system" means the hardware and software collectively capable of performing part or all of the dynamic driving task on a sustained basis.(10)(11)"Driving automation system feature" means a specific function of a driving automation system.(11)(12)(a)"Dynamic driving task" means all of the real-time operational and tactical functions required to operate a motor vehicle in on-road traffic, including:(i)lateral vehicle motion control through steering;(ii)longitudinal motion control through acceleration and deceleration;(iii)monitoring the driving environment through object and event detection, recognition, classification, and response preparation;(iv)object and event response execution;(v)maneuver planning; and(vi)enhancing conspicuity with lighting, signaling, and gesturing.(b)"Dynamic driving task" does not include strategic functions such as trip scheduling and selection of destinations and waypoints.(12)(13)"Engage" as it pertains to the operation of a vehicle by a driving automation system means to cause a driving automation system feature to perform part or all of the dynamic driving task on a sustained basis.(13)(14)"External event" is a situation in the driving environment that necessitates a response by a human driver with a valid driver license or driving automation system.(14)(15)"Fallback-ready user" means the user of a vehicle equipped with an engaged level three ADS who is:(a)a human driver with a valid driver license; and(b)ready to operate the vehicle if:(i)a system failure occurs; or(ii)the ADS issues a request to intervene.(15)(16)(a)"Human driver" means a natural person who performs in real-time all or part of the dynamic driving task.(b)"Human driver" includes a:(i)conventional driver; and(ii)remote driver.(16)"Level five automated driving system" or "level five ADS" means an ADS feature that has the capability to perform on a sustained basis the entire dynamic driving task under all conditions that can reasonably be managed by a human driver, as well as any maneuvers necessary to respond to a system failure, without any expectation that a human user will respond to a request to intervene.(17)"Level four automated driving system" or "level four ADS" means an ADS feature that, without any expectation that a human user will respond to a request to intervene, has:(a)the capability to perform on a sustained basis the entire dynamic driving task within its operational design domain; and(b)the capability to perform any maneuvers necessary to achieve a minimal risk condition in response to:(i)an exit from the operational design domain of the ADS; or(ii)a system failure.(18)"Level three automated driving system" or "level three ADS" means an ADS feature that:(a)has the capability to perform on a sustained basis the entire dynamic driving task within its operational design domain; and(b)requires a fallback-ready user to operate the vehicle after receiving a request to intervene or in response to a system failure.(17)"Level five ADS" means a level five automated driving system as defined in SAE International Standard J3016_202104, "Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles," April 2021 edition, as adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.(18)"Level four ADS" means a level four automated driving system as defined in SAE International Standard J3016_202104, "Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles," April 2021 edition, as adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.(19)"Level three ADS" means a level three automated driving system as defined in SAE International Standard J3016_202104, "Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles," April 2021 edition, as adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.(20)"Level two DAS" means a level two driving automation system as defined in SAE International Standard J3016_202104, "Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles," April 2021 edition, as adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.(19)(21)"Minimal risk condition" means a condition to which a user or an ADS may bring a motor vehicle in order to reduce the risk of a crash when a given trip cannot or should not be completed.(20)(22)"Object and event detection and response" means the subtasks of the dynamic driving task that include:(a)monitoring the driving environment; and(b)executing an appropriate response in order to perform the dynamic driving task.(21)(23)"On-demand autonomous vehicle network" means a transportation service network that uses a software application or other digital means to dispatch or otherwise enable the prearrangement of transportation with motor vehicles that have a level four or five ADS in driverless operation for purposes of transporting persons, including for-hire transportation and transportation for compensation.(22)(24)"Operate" means the same as that term is defined in Section 41-1a-102.(23)(25)"Operational design domain" means the operating conditions under which a given ADS or feature thereof is specifically designed to function, including:(a)speed range, environmental, geographical, and time-of-day restrictions; or(b)the requisite presence or absence of certain traffic or roadway characteristics.(24)(26)"Operator" means the same as that term is defined in Section 41-6a-102.(25)(27)"Passenger" means a user on board a vehicle who has no role in the operation of that vehicle.(26)(28)"Person" means the same as that term is defined in Section 41-6a-102.(27)(29)"Remote driver" means a human driver with a valid driver license who is not located in a position to manually exercise in-vehicle braking, accelerating, steering, or transmission gear selection input devices, but operates the vehicle.(28)(30)"Request to intervene" means the notification by an ADS to a fallback-ready user indicating that the fallback-ready user should promptly begin or resume operation of the vehicle.(29)(31)"Sustained operation of a motor vehicle" means the performance of part or all of the dynamic driving task both between and across external events, including response to external events and continued performance of part or all of the dynamic driving task in the absence of external events.(30)(32)"System failure" means a malfunction in a driving automation system or other vehicle system that prevents the ADS from reliably performing the portion of the dynamic driving task on a sustained basis, including the complete dynamic driving task, that the ADS would otherwise perform.(31)(33)"User" means a:(a)human driver;(b)passenger;(c)fallback-ready user; or(d)driverless operation dispatcher.

Section 3. Section 63I-2-217 is amended to read:63I-2-217. Repeal dates: Titles 17 through 17D.(1)Subsection 17-79-804(4)(c), regarding an inspection fee on a qualified water conservancy district, is repealed July 1, 2026.(2)Subsection 17-62-102(3), regarding the process for changing a form of county government, is repealed January 1, 2028.(3)Subsections 17-62-203(10) through (12), regarding the process to create a districting commission and implementing a district map, are repealed July 1, 2029.(4)Section 17B-2a-829, regarding a request for information on autonomous vehicles, is repealed July 1, 2027.

Section 4. Section 63I-2-272 is amended to read:63I-2-272. Repeal dates: Title 72.(1)Subsection 72-1-213.1(13), regarding the road usage charge rate and road usage charge cap, is repealed January 1, 2033.(2)Subsection 72-1-219, regarding a request for information with autonomous vehicles, is repealed July 1, 2028.

Section 5. Section 63N-3-1801 is enacted to read:63N-3-1801. Autonomous Innovation Grant Program.(1)There is created the Autonomous Innovation Grant Program to be administered by the office.(2)(a)Subject to availability of funds, the office may award a grant or an incentive to a private entity to support autonomous vehicle research, testing, deployment, and operations in the state.(b)In addition to the items described in Subsection (2)(a), the office may award a grant to an entity for the purpose of building and operating electric vehicle charging infrastructure.(3)The office shall:(a)publicly advertise the availability of grants;(b)solicit and evaluate proposals;(c)consider projects that create economic opportunity, workforce development, and long-term industry presence in the state; and(d)consider research and testing projects that support advanced air mobility, connected vehicle technology, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication to coordinate multiple vehicles at once.(4)(a)An entity that submits a proposal for a grant to the office shall include details in the proposal regarding:(i)the entity's plan to use the grant to fulfill the purposes described in Subsection (2); and(ii)any existing or planned partnerships between the entity and another person to implement the proposal.(b)In evaluating a proposal for a grant, the office shall consider:(i)the likelihood the proposal will accomplish the purposes described in Subsection (2);(ii)the extent to which any additional funding sources or existing or planned partnerships will benefit the proposal; and(iii)the viability and sustainability of the proposal.(c)In determining a grant award, the office may consult with the GOEO board.(5)Before receiving the grant, a grant recipient shall enter into a written agreement with the office that specifies:(a)the grant amount;(b)the time period and structure for distribution of the grant, including any terms and conditions the recipient is required to meet to receive a distribution; and(c)the expenses for which the recipient may use the grant, including:(i)acquisition of equipment;(ii)production, design, construction, or engineering costs;(iii)specialized employee training;(iv)technology upgrades;(v)utilities; or(vi)provisions of a grant to another individual or entity for the expenses described in Subsections (5)(c)(i) through (v) or to otherwise fulfill the recipient's proposal.(6)(a)If the office awards a grant to an entity for the purposes described in Subsection (2), the office shall consider projects that:(i)include fast-charging stations, capable of delivering at least 350 kilowatts of direct-current charging per charging port;(ii)are in a geographic area with fewer than 3 electric vehicle chargers within 100 miles;(iii)are in a geographic area where 250 kilowatt chargers are in limited quantities; or(iv)are within 50 miles of a state or national park.(b)In addition to the considerations described in Subsection (6)(a), the office shall consider projects that coordinate with the Department of Transportation in implementing the statewide electric vehicle charging network plan described in Section 72-1-216.(7)Funding for a grant awarded under this section may originate as part of an existing or a newly created initiative.(8)A recipient of a grant as described in this section is eligible to use technical assistance from the Utah Office of Regulatory Relief as described in Title 63N, Chapter 16, Utah Office of Regulatory Relief to:(a)navigate regulatory requirements;(b)identify and resolve compliance barriers; and(c)coordinate with one or more state agencies involved in autonomous vehicle deployment.(9)The office may, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, make rules to create and administer the program.

Section 6. Section 72-1-219 is enacted to read:72-1-219. Information for autonomous vehicles.(1)The department shall complete a request for information in accordance with Section 63G-6a-409 to gather information regarding:(a)large scale autonomous vehicle operation in the state; and(b)safety considerations with the operation of autonomous vehicles.(2)The department shall coordinate the request for information with stakeholders the department determines are relevant.(3)The request for information shall address:(a)ways the state can encourage and facilitate the private sector to establish more autonomous vehicle services in the state in advance of the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games;(b)the potential of autonomous vehicle technology to positively impact the overall safety of traveling on state highways; and(c)identification of barriers that are impeding or may potentially impede the establishment of autonomous vehicle services and business activities such as issues related to insurance and liability, vehicle registration and identification, and public safety.(4)On or before November 30, 2027, the department shall report to the Transportation Interim Committee regarding the information gathered under this section.

Section 7. Effective Date.This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.