2012 -- S 2145

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LC00665

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - SNOW PLOWS AND SNOW

REMOVAL EQUIPMENT

     Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard

     Date Introduced: January 18, 2012

     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. -- (a) Flashing

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lights are prohibited, except on an authorized emergency vehicle, school bus, snow removal

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equipment, or on any vehicle as a means for indicating a right or left turn. However, the

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requirements of section 31-24-33 shall be deemed to be satisfied if the vehicle is equipped with

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lamps at the front mounted at the same level, displaying simultaneously flashing white or amber

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lights, and at the rear mounted at the same level, and displaying simultaneously flashing red

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lights, all of which lights shall be visible from a distance of not less than five 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, snow removal equipment and tractors; light company trucks, telephone

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company trucks, water company trucks, oil company trucks, and other utilities' trucks; vehicles of

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television, radio and press photographers; rural mail carriers; all motor-propelled vehicles owned

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by the Northern Rhode Island REACT (radio emergency associated citizens team); all motor-

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propelled vehicles owned by or under contract to the Rhode Island department of transportation

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

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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) The use of the flashing lights authorized for snow plows and snow removal equipment

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by subdivision (b)(2) hereof shall be mandatory, provided that vehicles having other uses besides

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snow removal shall be required to display such flashing lights, which may be magnetically

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mounted, only when engaged in snow removal, and provided further, that this requirement shall

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not apply to snowblowers.

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

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00665

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - SNOW PLOWS AND SNOW

REMOVAL EQUIPMENT

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     This act would require that use of flashing lights on snow plows and snow removal

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equipment.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00665

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