S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5509
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 24, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JAFFEE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to affixing
blue lights on vehicles of members of a volunteer ambulance service
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraphs 4 and 5 of subdivision 41 of section 375 of the
vehicle and traffic law, paragraph 4 as amended by chapter 465 of the
laws of 2010, subparagraph b of paragraph 4 as amended by chapter 143 of
the laws of 2011, paragraph 5 as added by chapter 197 of the laws of
1970 and the opening paragraph of paragraph 5 as amended by chapter 349
of the laws of 2004, are amended to read as follows:
4. Blue light. a. One blue light may be affixed to any motor vehicle
owned by a volunteer member of a fire department or on a motor vehicle
owned by a member of such person's family residing in the same household
or by a business enterprise in which such person has a proprietary
interest or by which he or she is employed, provided such volunteer
firefighter has been authorized in writing to so affix a blue light by
the chief of the fire department or company of which he or she is a
member, which authorization shall be subject to revocation at any time
by the chief who issued the same or his or her successor in office. Such
blue light may be displayed exclusively by such volunteer firefighter on
such a vehicle only when engaged in an emergency operation. The use of
blue lights on vehicles shall be restricted for use only by a volunteer
firefighter except as otherwise provided for in subparagraph [b] C of
this paragraph.
b. ONE BLUE LIGHT MAY BE AFFIXED TO ANY MOTOR VEHICLE OWNED BY A
MEMBER OF A VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE, OR ON A MOTOR VEHICLE OWNED BY
A MEMBER OF SUCH PERSON'S FAMILY, OR BY A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE IN WHICH
SUCH PERSON HAS A PROPRIETARY INTEREST OR BY WHICH HE OR SHE IS
EMPLOYED, PROVIDED SUCH MEMBER HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED IN WRITING TO SO
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08200-01-5
A. 5509 2
AFFIX A BLUE LIGHT BY THE CHIEF OFFICER OF SUCH SERVICE AS DESIGNATED BY
THE MEMBERS THEREOF. SUCH BLUE LIGHT MAY BE DISPLAYED EXCLUSIVELY BY
SUCH MEMBER OF A VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE ONLY WHEN ENGAGED IN AN
EMERGENCY OPERATION. THE USE OF BLUE LIGHTS ON VEHICLES SHALL BE
RESTRICTED FOR USE ONLY BY A MEMBER OF A VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE AS
PROVIDED FOR IN THIS PARAGRAPH. AS USED IN THIS PARAGRAPH VOLUNTEER
AMBULANCE SERVICE MEANS: (I) A NON-PROFIT MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION (OTHER
THAN A FIRE CORPORATION) INCORPORATED UNDER OR SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS
OF THE MEMBERSHIP CORPORATIONS LAW, OR ANY OTHER LAW, OPERATING ITS
AMBULANCE OR AMBULANCES ON A NON-PROFIT BASIS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE
MEMBERS THEREOF AND THEIR FAMILIES OR OF THE COMMUNITY OR UNDER A
CONTRACT WITH A COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE PURSUANT TO SECTION ONE
HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO-B OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW; OR
(II) AN UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATION OF PERSONS OPERATING ITS AMBULANCE
OR AMBULANCES ON A NON-PROFIT BASIS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE MEMBERS
AND THEIR FAMILIES OR OF THE COMMUNITY.
C. 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, fire vehicle, ambulance,
emergency ambulance service vehicle, and county emergency medical
services vehicle provided that such blue light or lights shall be
displayed on a police vehicle, fire vehicle, ambulance, emergency ambu-
lance service vehicle, and county emergency medical services vehicle for
rear projection only. In the event that the trunk or rear gate of a
police vehicle, fire vehicle, ambulance, emergency ambulance service
vehicle, and county emergency medical services 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, fire vehicle, ambulance, emergency ambulance service vehicle,
and county emergency medical services 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, fire vehicles, ambulances, emergency ambulance service vehi-
cles, and county emergency medical services vehicles unless such vehi-
cles also display one or more red or combination red and white lights as
otherwise authorized in this subdivision.
[c.] D. The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regu-
lations relating to the use, placement, power and display of blue lights
on a police vehicle and fire vehicle.
[5. Green light. One green light may be affixed to any motor vehicle
owned by a member of a volunteer ambulance service, or on a motor vehi-
cle owned by a member of such person's family, or by a business enter-
prise in which such person has a proprietary interest or by which he is
employed, provided such member has been authorized in writing to so
affix a green light by the chief officer of such service as designated
by the members thereof. Such green light may be displayed exclusively by
such member of a volunteer ambulance service only when engaged in an
emergency operation. The use of green lights on vehicles shall be
restricted for use only by a member of a volunteer ambulance service as
provided for in this paragraph.
As used in this paragraph volunteer ambulance service means: a. a
non-profit membership corporation (other than a fire corporation) incor-
porated under or subject to the provisions of the membership corpo-
rations law, or any other law, operating its ambulance or ambulances on
A. 5509 3
a non-profit basis for the convenience of the members thereof and their
families or of the community or under a contract with a county, city,
town or village pursuant to section one hundred twenty-two-b of the
general municipal law; or
b. an unincorporated association of persons operating its ambulance or
ambulances on a non-profit basis for the convenience of the members and
their families or of the community.]
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.