Senate Bill sb0554

    Florida Senate - 2004                                   SB 554

    By Senator Dawson





    29-582-04

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to funeral vehicle lights;

  3         amending s. 316.2397, F.S.; authorizing

  4         vehicles used by funeral homes or the clergy to

  5         display flashing purple lights while in a

  6         funeral procession; providing an effective

  7         date.

  8  

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

10  

11         Section 1.  Subsection (3) of section 316.2397, Florida

12  Statutes, is amended to read:

13         316.2397  Certain lights prohibited; exceptions.--

14         (3)(a)  Vehicles of the fire department and fire

15  patrol, including vehicles of volunteer firefighters as

16  permitted under s. 316.2398, vehicles of medical staff

17  physicians or technicians of medical facilities licensed by

18  the state as authorized under s. 316.2398, ambulances as

19  authorized under this chapter, and buses and taxicabs as

20  authorized under s. 316.2399 are permitted to show or display

21  red lights. Vehicles of the fire department, fire patrol,

22  police vehicles, and such ambulances and emergency vehicles of

23  municipal and county departments, public service corporations

24  operated by private corporations, the Department of

25  Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation,

26  and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as are

27  designated or authorized by their respective department or the

28  chief of police of an incorporated city or any sheriff of any

29  county are hereby authorized to operate emergency lights and

30  sirens in an emergency.

31  

                                  1

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






    Florida Senate - 2004                                   SB 554
    29-582-04




 1         (b)  Wreckers, mosquito control fog and spray vehicles,

 2  and emergency vehicles of governmental departments or public

 3  service corporations may show or display amber lights when in

 4  actual operation or when a hazard exists provided they are not

 5  used going to and from the scene of operation or hazard

 6  without specific authorization of a law enforcement officer or

 7  law enforcement agency. Wreckers may use amber rotating or

 8  flashing lights while performing recoveries and loading on the

 9  roadside day or night, and while towing a vehicle on wheel

10  lifts, slings, or under reach only if the operator of the

11  wrecker deems such lights necessary. A flatbed, car carrier,

12  or rollback may not use amber rotating or flashing lights when

13  hauling a vehicle on the bed unless it creates a hazard to

14  other motorists because of protruding objects. Further, escort

15  vehicles will be permitted to show or display amber lights

16  when in the actual process of escorting overdimensioned

17  equipment, material, or buildings as authorized by law.

18  Vehicles of private watch, guard, or patrol agencies licensed

19  pursuant to chapter 493 may show or display amber lights while

20  patrolling condominium, cooperative, and private residential

21  and business communities by which employed and which traverse

22  public streets or highways.

23         (c)  Vehicles used by funeral homes or members of the

24  clergy may show or display purple flashing lights while in a

25  funeral procession.

26         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.

27  

28            *****************************************

29                          SENATE SUMMARY

30    Authorizes vehicles used by funeral homes or the clergy
      to display flashing purple lights while in a funeral
31    procession.

                                  2

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