Senate Bill sb1558

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1558

    By Senator Argenziano





    3-1165-03                                            See HB 75

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to motor vehicles; amending s.

  3         316.2398, F.S.; revising provisions that

  4         regulate the display or use of red lights on

  5         motor vehicles of volunteer firefighters or

  6         medical staff; providing an effective date.

  7

  8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  9

10         Section 1.  Section 316.2398, Florida Statutes, is

11  amended to read:

12         316.2398  Display or use of red warning signals lights;

13  motor vehicles of volunteer firefighters or medical staff.--

14         (1)  A privately owned vehicle belonging to an active

15  firefighter member of a regularly organized volunteer

16  firefighting company or association, while en route to the

17  fire station for the purpose of proceeding to the scene of a

18  fire or other emergency or while en route to the scene of a

19  fire or other emergency in the line of duty as an active

20  firefighter member of a regularly organized firefighting

21  company or association, or a privately owned vehicle belonging

22  to a medical staff physician or technician of a medical

23  facility licensed by the state, while responding to an

24  emergency in the line of duty, may display or use red warning

25  signals a red light visible from the front and from the rear

26  of such vehicle, subject to the following restrictions and

27  conditions:

28         (a)  A light may not have a light source greater than

29  50 candlepower.

30

31

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1558
    3-1165-03                                            See HB 75




  1         (b)  Only one red light of the revolving type may be

  2  displayed, and such light must be permanently or magnetically

  3  mounted to the dashboard or roof of the vehicle.

  4         (c)  The red light must consist of a lamp with a red

  5  lens, but may not consist of an uncolored lens with a red

  6  bulb.

  7         (d)  The red light may not be a part of the regular

  8  headlamps, taillights, or turn signal lights displayed on such

  9  vehicle.

10         (a)(e)  No inscription of any kind may appear across

11  the face of the lens of the red warning signal light.

12         (f)  The lens of the red light may not be less than 3

13  inches or more than 8 inches in diameter.

14         (b)(g)  In order for an active volunteer firefighter to

15  display such red warning signals a red light on his or her

16  vehicle, the volunteer firefighter must first secure a written

17  permit from the chief executive officers of the firefighting

18  organization to use the red warning signals light, and this

19  permit must be carried by the volunteer firefighter at all

20  times while the red warning signals are light is displayed.

21         (2)  It is unlawful for any person who is not an active

22  firefighter member of a regularly organized volunteer

23  firefighting company or association or a physician or

24  technician of the medical staff of a medical facility licensed

25  by the state to display on any motor vehicle owned by him or

26  her, at any time, any red warning signals a red light as

27  described in subsection (1).

28         (3)  It is unlawful for an active volunteer firefighter

29  to operate any red warning signals a red light as authorized

30  in subsection (1), except while en route to the fire station

31  for the purpose of proceeding to the scene of a fire or other

                                  2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1558
    3-1165-03                                            See HB 75




  1  emergency, or while at or en route to the scene of a fire or

  2  other emergency, in the line of duty.

  3         (4)  It is unlawful for a physician or technician of

  4  the medical staff of a medical facility to operate any red

  5  warning signals a red light as authorized in subsection (1),

  6  except when responding to an emergency in the line of duty.

  7         (5)  A violation of this section is a nonmoving

  8  violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318. In addition,

  9  any volunteer firefighter shall be dismissed from membership

10  in the firefighting organization by the chief executive

11  officers thereof.

12         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

13  law.

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  3

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.