Senate Bill sb1780

    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1780

    By Senator Baker





    20-1027-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to lights on motor vehicles;

  3         amending s. 316.2397, F.S.; revising provisions

  4         restricting the use of certain colored lights;

  5         providing for lights on vehicles owned or

  6         leased by private security agencies; removing

  7         reference to watch, guard, and patrol agencies

  8         licensed under specified provisions; providing

  9         an effective date.

10  

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

12  

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

14  Statutes, is amended to read:

15         316.2397  Certain lights prohibited; exceptions.--

16         (3)  Vehicles of the fire department and fire patrol,

17  including vehicles of volunteer firefighters as permitted

18  under s. 316.2398, vehicles of medical staff physicians or

19  technicians of medical facilities licensed by the state as

20  authorized under s. 316.2398, ambulances as authorized under

21  this chapter, and buses and taxicabs as authorized under s.

22  316.2399 are permitted to show or display red lights. Vehicles

23  of the fire department, fire patrol, police vehicles, and such

24  ambulances and emergency vehicles of municipal and county

25  departments, public service corporations operated by private

26  corporations, the Department of Environmental Protection, the

27  Department of Transportation, and the Department of

28  Agriculture and Consumer Services as are designated or

29  authorized by their respective department or the chief of

30  police of an incorporated city or any sheriff of any county

31  are hereby authorized to operate emergency lights and sirens

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






    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1780
    20-1027-07




 1  in an emergency. Wreckers, mosquito control fog and spray

 2  vehicles, and emergency vehicles of governmental departments

 3  or public service corporations may show or display amber

 4  lights when in actual operation or when a hazard exists

 5  provided they are not used going to and from the scene of

 6  operation or hazard without specific authorization of a law

 7  enforcement officer or law enforcement agency. Wreckers must

 8  use amber rotating or flashing lights while performing

 9  recoveries and loading on the roadside day or night, and may

10  use such lights while towing a vehicle on wheel lifts, slings,

11  or under reach if the operator of the wrecker deems such

12  lights necessary. A flatbed, car carrier, or rollback may not

13  use amber rotating or flashing lights when hauling a vehicle

14  on the bed unless it creates a hazard to other motorists

15  because of protruding objects. Further, escort vehicles may

16  show or display amber lights when in the actual process of

17  escorting overdimensioned equipment, material, or buildings as

18  authorized by law. Vehicles owned or leased by private

19  security agencies of private watch, guard, or patrol agencies

20  licensed pursuant to chapter 493 may show or display green and

21  amber lights, with either color being no greater than 50

22  percent of the lights displayed, while the security personnel

23  are engaged in security duties on private or public property

24  patrolling condominium, cooperative, and private residential

25  and business communities by which employed and which traverse

26  public streets or highways.

27         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

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