Amended IN Senate March 16, 2020 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 909Introduced by Senator Dodd(Coauthors: Senators Galgiani and Jones)(Coauthor: Assembly Member Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry and Mathis)February 03, 2020 An act to amend Section 27002, 27002 of the Vehicle Code, relating to emergency vehicles. vehicles, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 909, as amended, Dodd. Emergency vehicles.Existing law prohibits any vehicle, other than an authorized emergency vehicle, from being equipped with a siren. Existing law requires an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a siren that meets requirements set forth by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.Existing regulations of the California Highway Patrol define a hi-lo to be a nonsiren sound alternating between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency and require the hi-lo function to be disabled on any siren manufactured after January 1, 1978.This bill would authorize an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a hi-lo audible warning sound and would authorize the hi-lo to be used solely for the purpose of notifying the public of an immediate need to evacuate.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 27002 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:27002. (a) No vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren except that an authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with a siren meeting requirements established by the department.(b) An emergency vehicle may also be equipped with a Hi-Lo audible warning sound that may only be used for the purposes of notifying the public of an immediate evacuation in case of an emergency.(c) As used in this section, a Hi-Lo is an audible warning sound that alternates between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency. A Hi-Lo is not a siren.SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:In order for first responders to be prepared to protect the lives of Californians in case of a natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately. Amended IN Senate March 16, 2020 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 909Introduced by Senator Dodd(Coauthors: Senators Galgiani and Jones)(Coauthor: Assembly Member Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry and Mathis)February 03, 2020 An act to amend Section 27002, 27002 of the Vehicle Code, relating to emergency vehicles. vehicles, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 909, as amended, Dodd. Emergency vehicles.Existing law prohibits any vehicle, other than an authorized emergency vehicle, from being equipped with a siren. Existing law requires an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a siren that meets requirements set forth by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.Existing regulations of the California Highway Patrol define a hi-lo to be a nonsiren sound alternating between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency and require the hi-lo function to be disabled on any siren manufactured after January 1, 1978.This bill would authorize an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a hi-lo audible warning sound and would authorize the hi-lo to be used solely for the purpose of notifying the public of an immediate need to evacuate.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO Amended IN Senate March 16, 2020 Amended IN Senate March 16, 2020 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 909 Introduced by Senator Dodd(Coauthors: Senators Galgiani and Jones)(Coauthor: Assembly Member Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry and Mathis)February 03, 2020 Introduced by Senator Dodd(Coauthors: Senators Galgiani and Jones)(Coauthor: Assembly Member Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry and Mathis) February 03, 2020 An act to amend Section 27002, 27002 of the Vehicle Code, relating to emergency vehicles. vehicles, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 909, as amended, Dodd. Emergency vehicles. Existing law prohibits any vehicle, other than an authorized emergency vehicle, from being equipped with a siren. Existing law requires an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a siren that meets requirements set forth by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.Existing regulations of the California Highway Patrol define a hi-lo to be a nonsiren sound alternating between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency and require the hi-lo function to be disabled on any siren manufactured after January 1, 1978.This bill would authorize an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a hi-lo audible warning sound and would authorize the hi-lo to be used solely for the purpose of notifying the public of an immediate need to evacuate.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. Existing law prohibits any vehicle, other than an authorized emergency vehicle, from being equipped with a siren. Existing law requires an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a siren that meets requirements set forth by the Department of the California Highway Patrol. Existing regulations of the California Highway Patrol define a hi-lo to be a nonsiren sound alternating between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency and require the hi-lo function to be disabled on any siren manufactured after January 1, 1978. This bill would authorize an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a hi-lo audible warning sound and would authorize the hi-lo to be used solely for the purpose of notifying the public of an immediate need to evacuate. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. ## Digest Key ## Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 27002 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:27002. (a) No vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren except that an authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with a siren meeting requirements established by the department.(b) An emergency vehicle may also be equipped with a Hi-Lo audible warning sound that may only be used for the purposes of notifying the public of an immediate evacuation in case of an emergency.(c) As used in this section, a Hi-Lo is an audible warning sound that alternates between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency. A Hi-Lo is not a siren.SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:In order for first responders to be prepared to protect the lives of Californians in case of a natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately. The people of the State of California do enact as follows: ## The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 27002 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:27002. (a) No vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren except that an authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with a siren meeting requirements established by the department.(b) An emergency vehicle may also be equipped with a Hi-Lo audible warning sound that may only be used for the purposes of notifying the public of an immediate evacuation in case of an emergency.(c) As used in this section, a Hi-Lo is an audible warning sound that alternates between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency. A Hi-Lo is not a siren. SECTION 1. Section 27002 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read: ### SECTION 1. 27002. (a) No vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren except that an authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with a siren meeting requirements established by the department.(b) An emergency vehicle may also be equipped with a Hi-Lo audible warning sound that may only be used for the purposes of notifying the public of an immediate evacuation in case of an emergency.(c) As used in this section, a Hi-Lo is an audible warning sound that alternates between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency. A Hi-Lo is not a siren. 27002. (a) No vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren except that an authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with a siren meeting requirements established by the department.(b) An emergency vehicle may also be equipped with a Hi-Lo audible warning sound that may only be used for the purposes of notifying the public of an immediate evacuation in case of an emergency.(c) As used in this section, a Hi-Lo is an audible warning sound that alternates between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency. A Hi-Lo is not a siren. 27002. (a) No vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren except that an authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with a siren meeting requirements established by the department.(b) An emergency vehicle may also be equipped with a Hi-Lo audible warning sound that may only be used for the purposes of notifying the public of an immediate evacuation in case of an emergency.(c) As used in this section, a Hi-Lo is an audible warning sound that alternates between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency. A Hi-Lo is not a siren. 27002. (a) No vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren except that an authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with a siren meeting requirements established by the department. (b) An emergency vehicle may also be equipped with a Hi-Lo audible warning sound that may only be used for the purposes of notifying the public of an immediate evacuation in case of an emergency. (c) As used in this section, a Hi-Lo is an audible warning sound that alternates between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency. A Hi-Lo is not a siren. SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:In order for first responders to be prepared to protect the lives of Californians in case of a natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately. SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:In order for first responders to be prepared to protect the lives of Californians in case of a natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately. SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: ### SEC. 2. In order for first responders to be prepared to protect the lives of Californians in case of a natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.