SB840: Bill Text

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Senate BILL 840

December 26, 2023 - Introduced by Senators Tomczyk, Ballweg, Carpenter, Cowles, Felzkowski and Spreitzer, cosponsored by Representatives Snyder, Edming, C. Anderson, Gundrum, Moses, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman, Sinicki and Subeck. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government.

SB840,1,5 An Act to renumber and amend 347.385 (1m) (b) and 347.385 (1m) (c); to amend 347.385 (title), 347.385 (2m), 347.385 (5) (a) and 347.385 (5) (b); and to create 347.385 (1m) (d), 347.385 (1m) (e), 347.385 (1m) (g), 347.385 (2r) and 347.385 (6) of the statutes; relating to: traffic control signal priority devices for snow removal vehicles.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill authorizes snow removal vehicles to be equipped with lamps or other transmitters to communicate with traffic control signals equipped with traffic control signal priority devices. These devices allow the operator of the vehicle to request that a green signal be provided or maintained to allow the vehicle to proceed through the intersection.

Under current law, authorized emergency vehicles may be equipped with lamps or other transmitters to communicate with traffic control signals equipped with emergency preemption devices, which allow the operator of the vehicle to alter the normal traffic control sequence to provide or maintain a green signal to allow the vehicle to proceed through the intersection.

The bill provides that the authority responsible for maintenance of a traffic control signal may establish procedures for resolving conflicts between multiple requests for signal preemption or priority at a traffic signal, except that a signal preemption request from an emergency vehicle must be given priority over any signal priority request.

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:

SB840,1 Section 1. 347.385 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB840,2,3 347.385 (title) Auxiliary lamps on emergency vehicles; traffic Traffic control signal emergency preemption and priority devices.

SB840,2 Section 2. 347.385 (1m) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 347.385 (1m) (f) and amended to read:

SB840,2,10 347.385 (1m) (f) “Emergency Traffic control signal preemption device" means a device, located on or within a traffic control signal, that is designed to receive an electronic, radio, light, or sound transmission from an approaching vehicle that alters the normal sequence of the traffic control signal to provide or maintain a green signal for the vehicle to proceed through the intersection.

SB840,3 Section 3. 347.385 (1m) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 347.385 (1m) (i) and amended to read:

SB840,2,15 347.385 (1m) (i) “Transmitter" means a device that emits a signal for the purpose of activating an emergency a traffic control signal preemption device or a traffic control signal priority device.

SB840,4 Section 4. 347.385 (1m) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

SB840,2,17 347.385 (1m) (d) “Political subdivision” means a county, city, village, or town.

SB840,5 Section 5. 347.385 (1m) (e) of the statutes is created to read:

SB840,3,2 347.385 (1m) (e) “Snow removal vehicle” means any vehicle equipped with a snowplow or anti-icing equipment that is used by a political subdivision for snow removal and is operated by a political subdivision or the agent or lessee of a political subdivision.

SB840,6 Section 6. 347.385 (1m) (g) of the statutes is created to read:

SB840,3,7 347.385 (1m) (g) “Traffic control signal priority device" means a device, located on or within a traffic control signal, that is designed to receive an electronic, radio, light, or sound transmission from an approaching vehicle to request that a green signal be provided or maintained for the vehicle to proceed through the intersection.

SB840,7 Section 7. 347.385 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB840,3,11 347.385 (2m) An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped and operated with lamps designed and used, or with any other transmitter designed and used, to activate emergency traffic control signal preemption devices.

SB840,8 Section 8. 347.385 (2r) of the statutes is created to read:

SB840,3,16 347.385 (2r) A snow removal vehicle equipped with oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights that is actively engaged in snow removal activities may be equipped and operated with lamps designed and used, or with any other transmitter designed and used, to activate traffic control signal priority devices.

SB840,9 Section 9. 347.385 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB840,3,23 347.385 (5) (a) No person may operate upon a highway a motor vehicle, other than an authorized emergency vehicle or snow removal vehicle, that is equipped with a transmitter or in which a transmitter is located. This subsection does not apply to a motor carrier or person in the business of selling transmitters to authorized users who transports a transmitter in original, unopened packaging or in an inoperative condition in an enclosed storage compartment of the vehicle.

SB840,10 Section 10. 347.385 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB840,4,2 347.385 (5) (b) No person may sell a transmitter except for use for authorized purposes as described in sub. (2m) or (2r).

SB840,11 Section 11. 347.385 (6) of the statutes is created to read:

SB840,4,8 347.385 (6) The authority responsible for maintenance of a traffic control signal may establish procedures for resolving conflicts between multiple requests for signal preemption or priority at a traffic signal, except that a signal preemption request from an authorized emergency vehicle must be given priority over any signal priority request.

SB840,4,9 (End)