| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to lights on motor vehicles; amending s. |
| 3 | 316.2397, F.S.; revising provisions restricting the use of |
| 4 | certain colored lights; providing for lights on vehicles |
| 5 | owned or leased by private security agencies; removing |
| 6 | reference to watch, guard, and patrol agencies licensed |
| 7 | under specified provisions; providing an effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
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| 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) Vehicles of the fire department and fire patrol, |
| 15 | including vehicles of volunteer firefighters as permitted under |
| 16 | s. 316.2398, vehicles of medical staff physicians or technicians |
| 17 | of medical facilities licensed by the state as authorized under |
| 18 | s. 316.2398, ambulances as authorized under this chapter, and |
| 19 | buses and taxicabs as authorized under s. 316.2399 are permitted |
| 20 | to show or display red lights. Vehicles of the fire department, |
| 21 | fire patrol, police vehicles, and such ambulances and emergency |
| 22 | vehicles of municipal and county departments, public service |
| 23 | corporations operated by private corporations, the Department of |
| 24 | Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation, and |
| 25 | the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as are |
| 26 | designated or authorized by their respective department or the |
| 27 | chief of police of an incorporated city or any sheriff of any |
| 28 | county are hereby authorized to operate emergency lights and |
| 29 | sirens in an emergency. Wreckers, mosquito control fog and spray |
| 30 | vehicles, and emergency vehicles of governmental departments or |
| 31 | public service corporations may show or display amber lights |
| 32 | when in actual operation or when a hazard exists provided they |
| 33 | are not used going to and from the scene of operation or hazard |
| 34 | without specific authorization of a law enforcement officer or |
| 35 | law enforcement agency. Wreckers must use amber rotating or |
| 36 | flashing lights while performing recoveries and loading on the |
| 37 | roadside day or night, and may use such lights while towing a |
| 38 | vehicle on wheel lifts, slings, or under reach if the operator |
| 39 | of the wrecker deems such lights necessary. A flatbed, car |
| 40 | carrier, or rollback may not use amber rotating or flashing |
| 41 | lights when hauling a vehicle on the bed unless it creates a |
| 42 | hazard to other motorists because of protruding objects. |
| 43 | Further, escort vehicles may show or display amber lights when |
| 44 | in the actual process of escorting overdimensioned equipment, |
| 45 | material, or buildings as authorized by law. Vehicles owned or |
| 46 | leased by private security agencies of private watch, guard, or |
| 47 | patrol agencies licensed pursuant to chapter 493 may show or |
| 48 | display green and amber lights, with either color being no |
| 49 | greater than 50 percent of the lights displayed, while the |
| 50 | security personnel are engaged in security duties on private or |
| 51 | public property patrolling condominium, cooperative, and private |
| 52 | residential and business communities by which employed and which |
| 53 | traverse public streets or highways. |
| 54 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007. |