Senate Bill S5021

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 5021--A

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                               May 2, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation --  commit-
  tee  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recom-
  mitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the  display
  of lights on vehicles owned by fire police

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1.  Paragraph 2 and subparagraph b of paragraph 4 of  subdivi-
sion  41  of  section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law, paragraph 2 as
added by chapter 197 of the laws of 1970 and subparagraph b of paragraph
4 as amended by chapter 465 of the laws of 2010, are amended to read  as
follows:
  2. Red lights and certain white lights. One or more red or combination
red  and  white  lights,  or  one white light which must be a revolving,
rotating, flashing, oscillating  or  constantly  moving  light,  may  be
affixed  to  an  authorized  emergency  vehicle,  and such lights may be
displayed on an  authorized  emergency  vehicle  when  such  vehicle  is
engaged in an emergency operation, and upon a fire vehicle while return-
ing  from  an  alarm  of  fire or other emergency. NO VEHICLE OWNED BY A
VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT, OTHER THAN A VEHICLE OWNED  BY  A
FIRE CHIEF, MAY BE AFFIXED WITH RED OR WHITE LIGHTS.
  b.  In addition to the red and white lights authorized to be displayed
pursuant to paragraph two of this subdivision, one or more  blue  lights
or  combination  blue  and red lights or combination blue, red and white
lights may be affixed to a  police  vehicle  and  fire  POLICE  vehicle,
provided  that  such blue light or lights shall be displayed on a police
vehicle and fire vehicle for rear projection only AND ON THE GRILL OF  A
FIRE  POLICE  VEHICLE. A BLUE GRILL LIGHT ON A FIRE POLICE VEHICLE SHALL
BE PLACED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A RED GRILL LIGHT ON
THE DRIVER'S SIDE. ANY MEMBER OF THE FIRE POLICE SHALL HAVE  IN  HIS  OR

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD11238-02-1
              

S. 5021--A                          2

HER  POSSESSION  A  VALID  FIRE  POLICE IDENTIFICATION CARD AT ALL TIMES
WHILE DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH RED AND BLUE GRILL LIGHTS.   In  the  event
that  the  trunk  or  rear  gate  of  a  police vehicle and fire vehicle
obstructs  or  diminishes  the visibility of other emergency lighting on
such vehicles, a blue light may be affixed to  and  displayed  from  the
trunk,  rear  gate  or  interior  of  such  vehicles. Such lights may be
displayed on a police vehicle and fire vehicle when  such  vehicles  are
engaged  in  an  emergency operation. Nothing contained in this subpara-
graph shall be deemed to authorize the use  of  blue  lights  on  police
vehicles and fire vehicles unless such vehicles also display one or more
red  or combination red and white lights as otherwise authorized in this
subdivision.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
have become a law.