| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to transportation; specifying the warning lights that volunteer first |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 responders are authorized to use in their personal vehicles when responding to a |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 call; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 169.58, subdivisions 2, 3; 169.64, |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 subdivision 3. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 169.58, subdivision 2, is amended to read: |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8 Subd. 2.Red lamp; permit for volunteer emergency responders.Upon obtaining a |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9permit from the commissioner of public safety, any motor vehicles operated by an active |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10member of a volunteer fire department authorized by or contracting with any city, town, or |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11township in this state, an emergency medical first responder, or an ambulance crew member |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12may be equipped with a lamp emitting a flashing or steady-burning red or red and white |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13combination warning light unit of types approved by the commissioner to the front of such |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14vehicle. The lens of such lamp shall be not more than three inches in diameter. Such lamp |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15shall be lighted only when the member of the volunteer fire department, ambulance crew |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16member, or emergency medical first responder is responding to an emergency call in |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17connection with duties as a volunteer firefighter, ambulance crew member, or responder. |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18The commissioner of public safety is hereby authorized to issue permits on applications of |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19a member of a volunteer fire department properly certified to by the chief of said volunteer |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20fire department, and on applications for emergency medical first responders or ambulance |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21crew members. The commissioner of public safety must be notified immediately upon the |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1.22termination of membership in a volunteer fire department or when an ambulance or permitted |
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| 23 | 23 | | 1.23emergency medical first responder ceases operations. |
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| 24 | 24 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 25 | 25 | | 25-02127 as introduced01/14/25 REVISOR KRB/AC |
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| 26 | 26 | | SENATE |
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| 27 | 27 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 28 | 28 | | S.F. No. 793NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 29 | 29 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: HAUSCHILD) |
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| 30 | 30 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 31 | 31 | | Introduction and first reading01/30/2025 |
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| 32 | 32 | | Referred to Transportation 2.1 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 169.58, subdivision 3, is amended to read: |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.2 Subd. 3.Volunteer ambulance driver.The commissioner of public safety, upon |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.3application therefor, may issue a permit to any certificated volunteer ambulance driver |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.4authorizing the driver to equip any privately owned motor vehicle operated by the driver |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.5with a lamp emitting a flashing or steady-burning red or red and white combination warning |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.6light unit to the front of the vehicle. The lamps shall conform to specifications adopted by |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.7the commissioner. The lamp shall be lighted only when the driver is proceeding to the |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.8location of an ambulance in response to an emergency call. The application shall be in the |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.9form prescribed by the commissioner and shall contain verification satisfactory to the |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.10commissioner of the applicant's status as a certificated volunteer ambulance driver. Any |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.11permit issued shall expire immediately upon termination of the permittee's employment as |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.12a volunteer ambulance driver. |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.13 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 169.64, subdivision 3, is amended to read: |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.14 Subd. 3.Flashing lights; glaring lights.(a) Flashing lights are prohibited, except: |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.15 (1) on an authorized emergency vehicle, school bus, bicycle as provided in section |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.16169.222, subdivision 6, road maintenance equipment, tow truck or towing vehicle as provided |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.17in section 168B.16, service vehicle, farm tractor, self-propelled farm equipment, rural mail |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.18carrier vehicle, or funeral home vehicle; |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.19 (2) on any vehicle as a means of indicating a right or left turn, or the presence of a |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.20vehicular traffic hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, overtaking, or passing; or |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.21 (3) on a vehicle operated by a volunteer emergency responder pursuant to section 169.58, |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.22subdivision 2, or a volunteer ambulance driver pursuant to section 169.58, subdivision 3; |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.23or |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.24 (4) as otherwise provided in this section. |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.25 (b) All flashing warning lights must be of the type authorized by section 169.59, |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.26subdivision 4, unless otherwise permitted or required in this chapter. |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.27 (c) A stop lamp or signal lamp is prohibited from projecting a glaring or dazzling light, |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2.28except for: |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2.29 (1) strobe lamps as provided under subdivision 8 or section 169.59, subdivision 4; or |
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| 61 | 61 | | 2.30 (2) a school bus equipped with a supplemental warning system under section 169.4503, |
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| 62 | 62 | | 2.31subdivision 31. |
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| 63 | 63 | | 2Sec. 3. |
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| 64 | 64 | | 25-02127 as introduced01/14/25 REVISOR KRB/AC |
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