AB91: Bill Text

LRB-1295/1

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1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE

1995 Assembly BILL 91

February 6, 1995 - Introduced by Representatives Musser, Handrick, Freese, Hahn, Baldus, Springer, Silbaugh, Lorge, Boyle, Grothman, Linton, Wilder and Ryba, cosponsored by Senator Moen. Referred to Committee on Highways and Transportation.

AB91,1,3 An Act to amend 347.25 (1) of the statutes; relating to: the use of red and white lights on privately owned motor vehicles being used by fire department personnel or volunteer fire fighters.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, only ambulances and fire department equipment may be equipped with flashing, oscillating or rotating red and white lights. These lights may be used only under specified circumstances and any ambulance or fire department vehicle using such lights is granted special traffic privileges.

This bill permits privately owned motor vehicles that are being used by fire department personnel or volunteer fire fighters while enroute to a fire to be equipped with flashing, oscillating or rotating red and white lights. When such lights are used, the privately owned motor vehicle is also granted special traffic privileges.

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:

AB91, s. 1 Section 1. 347.25 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB91,2,10 347.25 (1) Except as provided in subs. (1m) (a), (1r) and (1s), an authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with one or more flashing, oscillating or rotating red lights, except that ambulances and, fire department equipment, and privately owned motor vehicles being used by personnel of a full-time or part-time fire department or by members of a volunteer fire department while enroute to a fire, 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 on a highway in a position which is likely to be hazardous to traffic using the highway.

AB91,2,11 (End)