Senate Bill sb1558c1
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Florida Senate - 2003 CS for SB 1558
By the Committee on Transportation; and Senator Argenziano
306-2266-03
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.
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8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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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) No more than two red warning signals may be
29 displayed A light may not have a light source greater than 50
30 candlepower.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2003 CS for SB 1558
306-2266-03
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 (b)(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 (c)(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
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Florida Senate - 2003 CS for SB 1558
306-2266-03
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.
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15 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
16 Senate Bill 1558
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18 The CS limits the use of the red warning signals used by
volunteer firefighters and eligible medical staff to no more
19 than two on his or her personal motor vehicle.
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