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CS/CS/SB 1508 — Police Vehicles
by Infrastructure and Security Committee; Criminal Justice Committee; and Senator Taddeo
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Criminal Justice Committee (CJ)
The bill prohibits a person from knowingly selling, exchanging, or transferring a police vehicle without, before consummating the sale, exchange, or transfer, removing any police markings from the vehicle. The bill requires law enforcement agencies, before consummating the sale, exchange, or transfer, to provide an official letter of notification that police markings have been removed to the purchaser, customer, or transferee.
The bill defines “police markings” as decals, stickers, distinctive paint schemes, or other markings attached or applied to a police vehicle that identify the vehicle as a police vehicle.
The bill provides that sellers and auction houses, before consummating the sale, exchange, or transfer of a police vehicle, shall provide an official letter or notification to the purchaser, customer, or transferee confirming the fact that the vehicle has had the police markings removed.
The bill does not apply to sales, exchanges, or transfers of police vehicles to members of the general public for the purposes of collection or display. However, upon the sale, exchange, or transfer of a police vehicle for either of those purposes, the seller, exchanger, or transferor shall provide a notice to the purchaser, customer, or transferee in substantially the following form:
- USE OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE DELIBERATE IMPERSONATION OF A PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE IS A FELONY OF THE THIRD DEGREE, PUNISHABLE AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 843.0855, FLORIDA STATUTES.
The bill exempts the sales, exchanges, or transfers of police vehicles between law enforcement agencies. A person who knowingly sells, exchanges, or offers to sell or exchange a motor vehicle in violation of these provisions commits a second degree misdemeanor.
If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2020.
Vote: Senate 39-0; House 116-0