SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2772
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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SENATE, May 13, 2024.
The committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, to whom was referred the
petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1589) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation relative to the
use of green lights for municipal emergency management vehicles, report the accompanying bill
(Senate, No. 2772).
For the committee,
Walter F. Timilty 1 of 3
FILED ON: 5/8/2024
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2772
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act relative to the use of green lights for municipal emergency management vehicles.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 90 as appearing in the 2020 official edition is hereby amended by
2inserting after section 7E the following new section:
3 7E1/2.. No motor vehicle operated pursuant to section seven other than MassDOT or
4municipal public works and emergency management vehicles shall mount or display a flashing,
5rotating or oscillating green light in any direction, except as herein provided; that nothing in this
6section shall prohibit an official police vehicle from displaying a flashing, rotating or oscillating
7red light in the opposite direction in which the vehicle is proceeding or prohibit fire apparatus
8from displaying a flashing, rotating or oscillating blue light in the opposite direction in which the
9vehicle is proceeding.
10 A vehicle owned or operated by the municipal emergency management or public works
11department as appointed by the municipal governing body may have mounted thereon flashing,
12rotating or oscillating green lights. Such lights shall only be displayed when such owner or
13operator is proceeding to an emergency or in response to an alarm and when the official duty of 2 of 3
14such owner or operator requires them to proceed to said emergency or to respond to said alarm,
15or, for public works department, for official public works activities, and at no other time.
16 No such green light shall be mounted or displayed on such vehicle until proper
17application has been made to the registrar by the emergency management director or public
18works director or similar title, as appointed by the municipalities governing body and a written
19permit has been issued and delivered to the owner and operator. In the event that the operator is
20not the registered owner of the vehicle, no permit shall be issued until said owner forwards to the
21registrar a written statement certifying that he has knowledge that such green light will be
22mounted and displayed on said vehicle.
23 Any person operating a private or commercial vehicle upon which flashing, rotating or
24oscillating green lights herein authorized are mounted shall have the permit for said lights upon
25their person or in the vehicle in some easily accessible place. Upon termination of the duties
26which warranted the issuance of the permit, the mayor or chair of the board of selectmen shall
27immediately notify the registrar who shall forthwith revoke such green light permit. Upon the
28written request of the mayor or board of selectmen of the municipality in which such permitted
29vehicle is registered, the registrar may revoke such permit. The registrar shall revoke such permit
30for the unauthorized use of such green lights and the owner and operator shall be subject to a fine
31as hereinafter provided.
32 Upon revocation, the registrar of motor vehicles shall notify forthwith the owner and
33operator of the vehicle for which such permit was issued and the head of the police department
34and fire department of the town in which his original permit was issued. 3 of 3
35 The registrar may also make such rules and regulations governing or prohibiting the
36display of such other lights on motor vehicles as he may deem necessary for public safety.
37 Any person who violates any provision of this section for which a penalty is not
38otherwise provided shall be subject to a fine of not less than five hundred dollars, nor more than
39one thousand dollars.