HB130 (2015) Detail

Relative to the use of blue lights on emergency vehicles.


CHAPTER 130

HB 130 – FINAL VERSION

11Feb2015… 0108h

6May2015… 1657EBA

2015 SESSION

15-0234

03/04

HOUSE BILL 130

AN ACT relative to the use of blue lights on emergency vehicles.

SPONSORS: Rep. Danielson, Hills 7; Rep. Proulx, Hills 44; Rep. White, Graf 13; Rep.?S.?Sweeney, Hills 23; Sen. Carson, Dist 14

COMMITTEE: Transportation

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill authorizes the use of blue lights on vehicles operated by local and federal emergency response employees and volunteers and employees of an ambulance service contracted with a city, town, or village district.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

11Feb2015… 0108h

6May2015… 1657EBA

15-0234

03/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen

AN ACT relative to the use of blue lights on emergency vehicles.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

130:1 Blue Lights Restricted. Amend RSA 266:78-b to read as follows:

266:78-b Blue Lights Restricted to Law Enforcement and Emergency Response.

I. No person other than a sworn law enforcement officer with power of arrest shall operate a vehicle equipped with blue colored lights, except in the case of a service technician driving the vehicle in connection with servicing or maintaining the vehicle or as provided under paragraph II.

II. No person other than a sworn law enforcement officer with power of arrest or an emergency response employee or volunteer of a city, town, or village district or the federal government or an employee of a private ambulance service contracted with a city, town, or village district shall operate a vehicle equipped with a rear-facing blue colored light, except in the case of a service technician driving the vehicle in connection with servicing or maintaining the vehicle.

[II.] III. Blue colored lights are authorized only for vehicles owned or leased by state, county, municipal, or federal law enforcement agencies, fire marshal vehicles, emergency response vehicles owned or leased by city, town, village district, or federal fire departments, forestry departments, or emergency medical departments, or emergency response vehicles owned or leased by a private ambulance service contracted with a city, town, or village district and vehicles privately owned or leased by sworn law enforcement officers when authorized by their department heads. When blue colored lights are installed on a private vehicle owned by or leased to a law enforcement officer, such lights shall be covered when the vehicle is being driven by someone other than a law enforcement officer. A blue colored light installed on emergency response vehicles other than those vehicles used by a sworn law enforcement officer shall be limited to a single, rear-facing blue colored emergency light on each vehicle. A private ambulance service that is no longer contracted with a city, town, or village district shall remove the single rear-facing blue colored light upon the expiration of the contract.

130:2 Use of Blue Lights. Amend RSA 266:78-f to read as follows:

266:78-f Use of Lights by Law Enforcement. Law enforcement officers shall only illuminate emergency lights and warning lights when in pursuit or stopping a violator, when responding to but not returning from an emergency call for service, when conducting an escort, or when parked on or adjacent to the highway to warn other traffic of a hazard or obstruction. Except as provided for under RSA 266:78-b, II, no person other than a sworn law enforcement officer shall drive a vehicle

with a blue light or lights in operation.

130:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved: June 12, 2015

Effective Date: June 12, 2015