(1) As defined under this section:

(a) “Traffic,” when used as a noun, means the use or occupancy of, and the movement in, on, or over, streets, ways, walks, roads, alleys, and parking areas by vehicles, pedestrians, or ridden or herded animals.

(b) “Adjacent municipality” means a municipality which is contiguous or adjacent to, or which contains within its boundaries all or part of the grounds of, a university; except that, if the grounds of a university are not within or contiguous to a municipality, “adjacent municipality” means the county seat of the county which contains within its boundaries all or part of the grounds of the university.

(c) “Grounds” includes all of the campus and grounds of the university, whether it be the campus proper or outlying or noncontiguous land of the university within the county.

(d) “Law enforcement officers” include municipal police, patrol officers, traffic officers, sheriffs, deputies, highway patrol officers, and county traffic officers assigned to duty on the grounds of the university; campus police, traffic officers, guards, parking patrollers, and other noncommissioned personnel designated for traffic purposes by the university; and other law enforcement officers as defined in s. 943.10(1).

(e) “University traffic infraction” means a noncriminal violation of university parking and traffic rules which is not included under s. 318.14 or s. 318.17 or any municipal ordinance, which is not punishable by incarceration, and for which there is no right to trial by jury or to court-appointed counsel.

(f) “Traffic authority” means an individual or a group of individuals at each university, authorized and appointed by the president of the university to adjudicate university traffic infractions.

(2) Each university board of trustees shall adopt rules that govern traffic on the grounds of the university; that provide penalties for the infraction of such traffic rules; and that the university finds necessary, convenient, or advisable for the safety or welfare of the students, faculty members, or other persons. Copies of the rules shall be posted at the university on public bulletin boards where notices are customarily posted, filed with the city clerk or corresponding municipal or county officer, and made available to any person requesting same. When adopted, the rules shall be enforceable as herein provided. All ordinances of the adjacent municipality relating to traffic that are not in conflict or inconsistent with the traffic rules adopted by the individual university shall extend and be applicable to the grounds of the university. The provisions of chapter 316 shall extend and be applicable to the grounds of the university, and the rules adopted by the individual university shall not conflict with any section of that chapter.

(3) Any person who violates any of those rules adopted by the individual institution shall be deemed to have committed a university traffic infraction and shall be fined or penalized as provided by the rules adopted by the institution. Any person who violates any traffic regulation enumerated in chapter 316 shall be charged, and the cause shall proceed, in accordance with chapters 316 and 318.

(4) A person charged with a university traffic infraction shall elect the option prescribed in paragraph (a) or the option prescribed in paragraph (b). If neither option is exercised within the prescribed time by the person charged with a university traffic infraction, an additional fine or penalty may be assessed, and shall be payable, in accordance with the rules of the university.

(a) The person charged may pay the applicable infraction fine, either by mail or in person, within the time period specified in the rules of the individual university. A schedule of infraction fines applicable to each university shall be adopted by the university.

(b) The person charged may elect to appear before the university traffic authority for administrative determination pursuant to procedures enumerated in the rules of such university.

(5) Each university is authorized to approve the establishment of a university traffic authority to hear violations of traffic rules. In such cases as come before the authority, the university traffic authority shall determine whether the person is guilty or not guilty of the charge. In the case of a finding of guilt, the authority shall, in its discretion, impose an appropriate penalty pursuant to subsection (3).

(6) This section shall provide the exclusive procedures for the adjudication of university traffic infractions.

(7) Moneys collected from parking assessments and infraction fines shall be deposited in appropriate funds and shall be used to defray the administrative and operating costs of the traffic and parking program at the institution, to provide for additional parking facilities on campus, or for student loan purposes.

History.—s. 336, ch. 2002-387.