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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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hundred feet (500').

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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white and/or alternating flashing white;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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mounted lights: Blue or red.

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

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     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

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forward viewing a rotating amber beam lights.

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     This act would take effect on January 1, 2019.

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