Florida 2024 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0463 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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2		-	~~ENROLLED~~
3		-	CS/HB 463 2024 ~~Legislature~~
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10	10		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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	14	+	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15		An act relating to lights displayed on fire department 2
16	16		vehicles; amending s. 316.2397, F.S.; authorizing 3
17	17		certain government-owned fire department vehicles to 4
18	18		show or display blue lights under certain 5
19	19		circumstances; providing an effective date. 6
20	20		7
21	21		Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
22	22		9
23	23		Section 1. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 316.2397, 10
24	24		Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 11
25	25		316.2397 Certain lights prohibited; exceptions. — 12
26	26		(2) It is expressly prohibited for any vehicle or 13
27	27		equipment to show or display blue lights , except the following: 14
28	28		(a) Police vehicles; 15
29	29		(b) Government-owned fire department vehicles, except 16
30	30		vehicles of the fire patrol or volunteer fire departments, with 17
31	31		a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 24,000 pounds if 18
32	32		authorized in writing by the fire chief of the government agency 19
33	33		and if shown or displayed only on the rear of such vehicles; 20
34	34		and, to show or display blue lights. However, 21
35	35		(c) Vehicles owned, operated, or leased by the Department 22
36	36		of Corrections or any county correctional agency may show or 23
37	37		display blue lights when responding to emergencies. 24
38	38		(3)(a) Vehicles of the fire department and fire patrol, 25
39		-	~~ENROLLED~~
40		-	CS/HB 463 2024 ~~Legislature~~
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	40	+	CS/HB 463 2024
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47	47		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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51	51		including vehicles of volunteer firefighters as permitted under 26
52	52		s. 316.2398, may show or display red or red and white lights. 27
53	53		However, blue lights may be shown or displayed on fire 28
54	54		department vehicles in accordance with paragraph (2)(b). 29
55	55		(b) Vehicles of medical staff physicians or technicians of 30
56	56		medical facilities licensed by the state or of volunteer 31
57	57		ambulance services as authorized under s. 316.2398, ambulances 32
58	58		as authorized under this chapter, and buses and taxicabs as 33
59	59		authorized under s. 316.2399 may sh ow or display red lights. 34
60	60		(c) Vehicles of the fire department and, fire patrol, 35
61	61		police vehicles, and such ambulances and emergency vehicles of 36
62	62		municipal and county departments, volunteer ambulance services, 37
63	63		public service corporations operated by private corporations, 38
64	64		the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Department of 39
65	65		Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation, the 40
66	66		Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the 41
67	67		Department of Corrections as are designated or authoriz ed by 42
68	68		their respective department or the chief of police of an 43
69	69		incorporated city or any sheriff of any county may operate 44
70	70		emergency lights and sirens in an emergency. 45
71	71		(d) Wreckers, mosquito control fog and spray vehicles, and 46
72	72		emergency vehicles of govern mental departments or public service 47
73	73		corporations may show or display amber lights when in actual 48
74	74		operation or when a hazard exists provided they are not used 49
75	75		going to and from the scene of operation or hazard without 50
76		-	~~ENROLLED~~
77		-	CS/HB 463 2024 ~~Legislature~~
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	77	+	CS/HB 463 2024
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84	84		F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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88	88		specific authorization of a law enforc ement officer or law 51
89	89		enforcement agency. Wreckers must use amber rotating or flashing 52
90	90		lights while performing recoveries and loading on the roadside 53
91	91		day or night, and may use such lights while towing a vehicle on 54
92	92		wheel lifts, slings, or under reach if the operator of the 55
93	93		wrecker deems such lights necessary. A flatbed, car carrier, or 56
94	94		rollback may not use amber rotating or flashing lights when 57
95	95		hauling a vehicle on the bed unless it creates a hazard to other 58
96	96		motorists because of protruding objects. Further, e scort 59
97	97		vehicles may show or display amber lights when in the actual 60
98	98		process of escorting overdimensioned equipment, material, or 61
99	99		buildings as authorized by law. 62
100	100		(e) Vehicles owned or leased by private security agencies 63
101	101		may show or display green and amber lights, with either color 64
102	102		being no greater than 50 percent of the lights displayed, while 65
103	103		the security personnel are engaged in security duties on private 66
104	104		or public property. 67
105	105		Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 68