SB442: Bill Text

LRB-4779/2

TNF:skg:ks

1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE

1995 Senate BILL 442

November 29, 1995 - Introduced by Senator Huelsman, by request of James Diorio. Referred to Committee on Transportation, Agriculture and Local Affairs.

SB442,1,2 An Act to amend 347.25 (1); and to create 347.25 (1t) of the statutes; relating to: the use of a flashing amber strobe light on authorized emergency vehicles.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law restricts the use of a flashing strobe light to school buses and mail delivery vehicles. This bill allows the use of a flashing amber strobe light on authorized emergency vehicles, such as police vehicles, fire department vehicles and ambulances. The flashing amber strobe light may be used only when activated by use of the vehicle's horn.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB442, s. 1 Section 1. 347.25 (1) of the statutes, as affected by 1995 Wisconsin Act 31, is amended to read:

SB442,2,8 347.25 (1) Except as provided in subs. (1m) (a), (1r) and, (1s) and (1t), an authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with one or more flashing, oscillating or rotating red lights, except that ambulances, fire department equipment, and privately owned motor vehicles under s. 340.01 (3) (d) or (dm) being used by personnel of a full-time or part-time fire department or by members of a volunteer fire department or rescue squad, may be equipped with red or red and white lights, and shall be so equipped when the operator thereof is exercising the privileges granted by s. 346.03. The lights shall be so designed and mounted as to be plainly visible and understandable from a distance of 500 feet both during normal sunlight and during hours of darkness. No operator of an authorized emergency vehicle may use the warning lights except when responding to an emergency call or when in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm or when necessarily parked in a position which is likely to be hazardous to traffic.

SB442, s. 2 Section 2. 347.25 (1t) of the statutes is created to read:

SB442,2,12 347.25 (1t) An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a flashing amber strobe light that may be used only when activated by the concurrent use of a horn as a reasonable warning under s. 347.38 (1).

SB442,2,13 (End)