Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1158
       
       
        
       By Senator Bradley
       
       
       
       
       
       6-01021D-24                                           20241158__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to lights displayed on fire department
    3         vehicles; amending s. 316.2397, F.S.; authorizing that
    4         certain government-owned fire department vehicles may
    5         show or display blue lights under certain
    6         circumstances; making technical changes; providing an
    7         effective date.
    8          
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 316.2397,
   12  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   13         316.2397 Certain lights prohibited; exceptions.—
   14         (2) It is expressly prohibited for any vehicle or equipment
   15  to show or display blue lights, except the following:
   16         (a) Police vehicles;
   17         (b) Government-owned fire department vehicles, except
   18  vehicles of a fire patrol or volunteer fire department, with a
   19  gross vehicle weight rating of more than 24,000 pounds, if
   20  authorized in writing by the fire chief of the government agency
   21  and if shown or displayed only on the rear of such vehicles; and
   22  , to show or display blue lights. However,
   23         (c) Vehicles owned, operated, or leased by the Department
   24  of Corrections or any county correctional agency may show or
   25  display blue lights when responding to emergencies.
   26         (3)(a) Vehicles of the fire department and fire patrol,
   27  including vehicles of volunteer firefighters as permitted under
   28  s. 316.2398, may show or display red or red and white lights.
   29  However, blue lights may only be shown or displayed on fire
   30  department vehicles pursuant to paragraph (2)(b).
   31         (b) Vehicles of medical staff physicians or technicians of
   32  medical facilities licensed by the state or of volunteer
   33  ambulance services as authorized under s. 316.2398, ambulances
   34  as authorized under this chapter, and buses and taxicabs as
   35  authorized under s. 316.2399 may show or display red lights.
   36         (c) Vehicles of the fire department and, fire patrol,
   37  police vehicles, and such ambulances and emergency vehicles of
   38  municipal and county departments, volunteer ambulance services,
   39  public service corporations operated by private corporations,
   40  the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Department of
   41  Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation, the
   42  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the
   43  Department of Corrections as are designated or authorized by
   44  their respective department or the chief of police of an
   45  incorporated city or any sheriff of any county may operate
   46  emergency lights and sirens in an emergency.
   47         (d) Wreckers, mosquito control fog and spray vehicles, and
   48  emergency vehicles of governmental departments or public service
   49  corporations may show or display amber lights when in actual
   50  operation or when a hazard exists provided they are not used
   51  going to and from the scene of operation or hazard without
   52  specific authorization of a law enforcement officer or law
   53  enforcement agency. Wreckers must use amber rotating or flashing
   54  lights while performing recoveries and loading on the roadside
   55  day or night, and may use such lights while towing a vehicle on
   56  wheel lifts, slings, or under reach if the operator of the
   57  wrecker deems such lights necessary. A flatbed, car carrier, or
   58  rollback may not use amber rotating or flashing lights when
   59  hauling a vehicle on the bed unless it creates a hazard to other
   60  motorists because of protruding objects. Further, escort
   61  vehicles may show or display amber lights when in the actual
   62  process of escorting overdimensioned equipment, material, or
   63  buildings as authorized by law.
   64         (e) Vehicles owned or leased by private security agencies
   65  may show or display green and amber lights, with either color
   66  being no greater than 50 percent of the lights displayed, while
   67  the security personnel are engaged in security duties on private
   68  or public property.
   69         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.