Bill Text: GA SB410 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Motor Vehicles; designate ambulances as emergency vehicles; exclude certain ambulance providers from certain permit requirements
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-07-01 - Effective Date [SB410 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2009-SB410-Engrossed.html
10 LC
35 1701
Senate
Bill 410
By:
Senators Douglas of the 17th, Murphy of the 27th and Mullis of the 53rd
AS
PASSED SENATE
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Part 5 of Article 1 of Chapter 8 of Title 40 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to equipment of law enforcement and emergency
vehicles, so as to designate ambulances as emergency vehicles and exclude
ambulance providers from certain permit requirements; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Part
5 of Article 1 of Chapter 8 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to equipment of law enforcement and emergency vehicles, is
amended by revising Code Section 40-8-92, relating to designation of emergency
vehicles, flashing or revolving lights, permits, fee, and prohibition against
use of flashing or revolving green lights by private persons on public property,
as follows:
"40-8-92.
(a)
All emergency vehicles shall be designated as such by the commissioner of public
safety. The commissioner shall so designate each vehicle by issuing to such
vehicle a permit to operate flashing or revolving emergency lights of the
appropriate color. Such permit shall be valid for one year from the date of
issuance; provided, however, that permits for vehicles belonging to federal,
state, county, or municipal governmental agencies shall be valid for five years
from the date of issuance. Any and all officially marked law enforcement
vehicles as specified in Code Section 40-8-91 shall not be required to have a
permit for the use of a blue light. Any and all fire department vehicles which
are distinctly marked on each side shall not be required to have a permit for
the use of a red light.
Any and all
ambulances, as defined in Code Section 31-11-2, licensed by this state shall not
be required to have a permit for the use of a red light.
(b)
The commissioner shall authorize the use of red or amber flashing or revolving
lights only when the person or governmental agency shall demonstrate to the
commissioner a proven need for equipping a vehicle with emergency lights. The
fee for such lights shall be $2.00, provided that no federal, state, county, or
municipal governmental agency
or an
ambulance provider, as defined in Code Section
31-11-2, shall be required to pay such
fee.
(c)
Nothing contained in this Code section shall prohibit the commissioner from
issuing a single special use permit to cover more than one vehicle, provided
each vehicle covered under such special use permit shall pay the fee specified
in subsection (b) of this Code section.
(d)
Except as provided in this subsection, it shall be unlawful for any person,
firm, or corporation to operate any motor vehicle or to park any motor vehicle
on public property with flashing or revolving green lights. This subsection
shall not apply to any motor vehicle being used by any law enforcement agency,
fire department, emergency management agency, or other governmental entity to
designate the location of the command post for such agency, department, or
entity at the site of an emergency."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.