HB 0075, Engrossed 1 2003
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to motor vehicles; amending s. 316.2398,
3	F.S.; revising provisions that regulate the display or use
4	of red lights on motor vehicles of volunteer firefighters
5	or medical staff; providing an effective date.
6
7	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
8
9	Section 1. Section 316.2398, Florida Statutes, is amended
10	to read:
11	316.2398 Display or use of red warning signalslights;
12	motor vehicles of volunteer firefighters or medical staff.--
13	(1) A privately owned vehicle belonging to an active
14	firefighter member of a regularly organized volunteer
15	firefighting company or association, while en route to the fire
16	station for the purpose of proceeding to the scene of a fire or
17	other emergency or while en route to the scene of a fire or
18	other emergency in the line of duty as an active firefighter
19	member of a regularly organized firefighting company or
20	association, or a privately owned vehicle belonging to a medical
21	staff physician or technician of a medical facility licensed by
22	the state, while responding to an emergency in the line of duty,
23	may display or use red warning signalsa red lightvisible from
24	the front and from the rear of such vehicle, subject to the
25	following restrictions and conditions:
26	(a) No more than two red warning signals may be displayed
27	A light may not have a light source greater than 50 candlepower.
28	(b) Only one red light of the revolving type may be
29	displayed, and such light must be permanently or magnetically
30	mounted to the dashboard or roof of the vehicle.
31	(c) The red light must consist of a lamp with a red lens,
32	but may not consist of an uncolored lens with a red bulb.
33	(d) The red light may not be a part of the regular
34	headlamps, taillights, or turn signal lights displayed on such
35	vehicle.
36	(b)(e)No inscription of any kind may appear across the
37	face of the lens of the red warning signallight.
38	(f) The lens of the red light may not be less than 3
39	inches or more than 8 inches in diameter.
40	(c)(g)In order for an active volunteer firefighter to
41	display such red warning signalsa red lighton his or her
42	vehicle, the volunteer firefighter must first secure a written
43	permit from the chief executive officers of the firefighting
44	organization to use the red warning signalslight, and this
45	permit must be carried by the volunteer firefighter at all times
46	while the red warning signals arelight isdisplayed.
47	(2) It is unlawful for any person who is not an active
48	firefighter member of a regularly organized volunteer
49	firefighting company or association or a physician or technician
50	of the medical staff of a medical facility licensed by the state
51	to display on any motor vehicle owned by him or her, at any
52	time, any red warning signalsa red lightas described in
53	subsection (1).
54	(3) It is unlawful for an active volunteer firefighter to
55	operate any red warning signalsa red lightas authorized in
56	subsection (1), except while en route to the fire station for
57	the purpose of proceeding to the scene of a fire or other
58	emergency, or while at oren route to the scene of a fire or
59	other emergency, in the line of duty.
60	(4) It is unlawful for a physician or technician of the
61	medical staff of a medical facility to operate any red warning
62	signalsa red lightas authorized in subsection (1), except when
63	responding to an emergency in the line of duty.
64	(5) A violation of this section is a nonmoving violation,
65	punishable as provided in chapter 318. In addition, any
66	volunteer firefighter shall be dismissed from membership in the
67	firefighting organization by the chief executive officers
68	thereof.
69	Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
70