South Carolina General Assembly
115th Session, 2003-2004

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H. 4605

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. Simrill
Document Path: l:\council\bills\swb\5758cm04.doc
Companion/Similar bill(s): 848

Introduced in the House on January 22, 2004
Currently residing in the House Committee on Education and Public Works

Summary: Emergency vehicles authorized to display any blue or red lights, provisions

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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   1/22/2004  House   Introduced and read first time HJ-35
   1/22/2004  House   Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works HJ-35

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

1/22/2004

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-170, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED TO USE AND DISPLAY ANY BLUE LIGHTS OR RED LIGHTS; TO DEFINE THE TERM "DISPLAY", AND TO PROVIDE THAT ONLY CERTAIN AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES MAY DISPLAY THE WORD "POLICE".

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 56-5-170 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-5-170.    (A)    Fire department vehicles, police vehicles, ambulances and rescue squad vehicles which are publicly owned, other emergency vehicles designated by the department or the chief of police of a municipality, and public and private vehicles while transporting individuals actually engaged in emergency activities because of the membership of one or more occupants of a fire department, police department, sheriffs' office, or rescue squad are 'authorized emergency vehicles'.

(B)    Only authorized emergency vehicles are allowed use or display of any blue lights or red lights. This includes light bars and smaller lights such as dash, deck, or visor lights. To 'display' means to be seen, whether activated or not.

(C)    A vehicle shall not display the word 'police' unless it is an authorized emergency vehicle for use only by sworn police officers who are approved and certified by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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