Louisiana 2020 2020 Regular Session

Louisiana House Bill HB753 Engrossed / Bill

                    HLS 20RS-1257	ENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 753
BY REPRESENTATIVE ROMERO
MOTOR VEHICLES:  Provides relative to special restrictions on lamps for certain vehicles
1	AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 32:327(D) and to enact R.S. 32:327(E), relative to special
3 restrictions on lamps; to authorize the sale of emergency lights to a person employed
4 in highway construction services; to authorize the possession of emergency lights by
5 highway construction personnel; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1.  R.S. 32:327(D) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 32:327(E) is
8hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง327.  Special restrictions on lamps
10	*          *          *
11	D.  No person shall sell a dashboard, hood, vehicle front grill, or vehicle roof
12 mounted emergency light that emits a blue or red glow, or that emits a glow in any
13 combination of the colors red, white, and blue, to any person who is not a peace glow
14 to any person.
15	E.  No person shall sell a dashboard, hood, vehicle front grill, or vehicle roof
16 mounted emergency light that emits a red glow, or that emits a glow of red and
17 white, to any person who is not a peace officer, a firefighter, or a person employed
18 in the performance of emergency, highway construction, or public utility services. 
19 No person shall possess such an emergency light except peace officers, or
20 firefighters, or public utility, highway construction, and or emergency personnel. 
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CODING:  Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-1257	ENGROSSED
HB NO. 753
1 However, vehicles which are owned and operated by members of nonprofit
2 corporations as provided in R.S. 12:201 et seq. and which are tax exempt in
3 accordance with Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, for exhibition in
4 shows, parades, tours, and other special events and not for general transportation
5 may be equipped with alternately flashing red lights and these lights may have
6 sufficient intensity to be visible at five hundred feet in normal sunlight, provided that
7 such use shall only be allowed when the vehicle is participating in exhibitions,
8 shows, parades, tours, and other special events, and not for general transportation. 
9 The secretary by rule shall establish the criteria to be used in determining which
10 persons, other than members of such nonprofit corporations, qualify to purchase or
11 possess emergency lights as described in this Subsection.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services.  It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument.  The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent.  [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 753 Engrossed 2020 Regular Session	Romero
Abstract: Authorizes the sale of certain emergency lights to and the possession of certain
emergency lights by any person employed in the performance of highway
construction.
Present law authorizes the sale of a dashboard, hood, vehicle front grill, or vehicle roof
mounted emergency light that emits a blue or red glow, or that emits a glow in any
combination of the colors red, white, and blue, to any person who is a peace officer, a
firefighter, or a person employed in the performance of emergency or public utility services.
Proposed law prohibits the sale of a dashboard, hood, vehicle front grill, or vehicle roof
mounted emergency light that emits a blue glow to any person.
Proposed law adds a person employed in the performance of highway construction services
to the list of those individuals authorized to purchase a dashboard, hood, vehicle front grill,
or vehicle roof mounted emergency light that emit a red glow or that emit a glow of red and
white.
Present law authorizes any person who is a peace officer, a firefighter, or public utility and
emergency personnel to possess an emergency light that emits a blue or red glow, or that
emits a glow in any combination of the colors red, white, and blue.
Proposed law adds highway construction personnel to the list of individuals authorized to
possess emergency lights that emit a red glow or that emit a glow of red and white.
(Amends R.S. 32:327(D); Adds R.S. 32:327(E))
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CODING:  Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-1257	ENGROSSED
HB NO. 753
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Transportation,
Highways and Public Works to the original bill:
1. Make technical changes.
2. Prohibit the use of blue lights on the dashboard, hood, grill, or roof of a vehicle
by any person.
3. Authorize the use of red and white lights on the dashboard, hood, grill, or roof
of a vehicle by a peace officer, firefighter, or a person employed in the
performance of emergency highway construction or public utility services.
Page 3 of 3
CODING:  Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.