2018 -- S 2284 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - FLASHING VEHICLE LIGHTS

     Introduced By: Senators Seveney, Coyne, Calkin, DiPalma, and Goodwin

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-24-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-24 entitled "Lighting

Equipment and Reflectors" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-24-31. Flashing lights -- Forward viewing or rotary beam lights.

     (a) Flashing lights are prohibited, except on an authorized emergency vehicle, school bus,

snow removal equipment, or on any vehicle as a means for indicating a right or left turn.

However, the requirements of § 31-24-33 shall be deemed to be satisfied if the vehicle is

equipped with lamps at the front mounted at the same level, displaying simultaneously flashing

white or amber lights, and at the rear mounted at the same level, and displaying simultaneously

flashing red lights, all of which lights shall be visible from a distance of not less than five

hundred feet (500').

     (b) Forward viewing or rotating beam lights may be installed on and shall be restricted to

the following categories of vehicles, and these lights shall be of color designated:

     (1) Emergency response vehicles of any fire, rescue, or ambulance department, fire

chiefs, assistant fire chiefs, deputy chiefs, captains; any privately owned vehicle of any authorized

volunteer member of a fire, rescue, or ambulance department; emergency management agency

directors, assistant directors, assistant medical examiners and/or forensic pathologists of the

office of state medical examiners; rescue vehicles, emergency response vehicles of the

department of environmental management and the division of state fire marshal; school buses;

hospital emergency response vehicles; and two (2) American Red Cross disaster vehicles: Red,

white and/or alternating flashing white;

     (2) Wrecker trucks, service station trucks, state and town safety and maintenance

vehicles; snowplows and tractors; light company trucks, telephone company trucks, water

company trucks, oil company trucks, and other utilities' trucks; vehicles of television, radio and

press photographers; newspaper motor route carriers; rural mail carriers; all motor-propelled

vehicles owned by the Northern Rhode Island REACT (radio emergency associated citizens

team); all motor-propelled vehicles owned by or under contract to the Rhode Island department of

transportation when on official state business; and vehicles marking the beginning and end of

funeral processions: Amber, provided, however, that wrecker and transportation vehicles operated

pursuant to a public utilities commission license, and roadside assistance vehicles of any type

operated for that purpose by the American Automobile Association shall be permitted to use

flashing amber lights at the front and rear of the vehicle, to be activated only in the course of

providing assistance to or transportation for a disabled vehicle. A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25)

shall be charged for the issuance of a flashing lights permit to every vehicle identified in this

subsection, with the exception of flashing lights permits issued to state, town or fire district safety

and maintenance vehicles, which shall not be charged a fee.

     (3) Police units, state and local: Center rotating beam lights: Blue or red; Outboard

mounted lights: Blue or red.

     (4) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2019.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - FLASHING VEHICLE LIGHTS

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     This act would enable newspaper motor route carriers to have installed upon them

forward viewing a rotating amber beam lights.

     This act would take effect on January 1, 2019.

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