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Senate File 71 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to lighting devices and other equipment
2on authorized emergency vehicles, providing penalties,
3making penalties applicable, and including effective date
4provisions.
5BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 321.423, subsection 2, paragraph f, Code
22021, is amended to read as follows:
3f. A flashing white light, including a flashing headlamp, is
4permitted on a vehicle pursuant to subsection 7.
5 Sec. 2. Section 321.423, subsection 3, paragraph a,
6subparagraph (3), Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
7(3) An authorized emergency vehicle, other than a vehicle
8described in paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1) or (2), if the blue
9light is positioned on the passenger side of the vehicle and is
10used in conjunction with a red light positioned on the driver
11side of the vehicle.
12 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 321.424 Authorized emergency vehicle
13lights.
14Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary:
151. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with
16a combination of interior and exterior lights, flashing
17headlamps, and flashing tail lamps as provided in this section
18and in this chapter.
192. An official law enforcement, fire department, or
20emergency medical services vehicle owned by the state or a
21municipality, as defined in section 670.1, may be equipped with
22flashing headlamps.
233. An authorized emergency vehicle owned by the state,
24a municipality, as defined in section 670.1, or a private
25emergency medical services company delivering services to the
26state, a municipality, or a hospital pursuant to a written
27contract, or a privately owned vehicle designated as an
28authorized emergency vehicle pursuant to section 321.451, shall
29be equipped with a combination of operational red and blue
30lights. However, a towing or recovery vehicle, unless owned
31by the state or a municipality, shall not be equipped with red
32and blue lights.
334. An authorized emergency vehicle equipped with an
34interior or exterior light bar must have the light bar
35positioned such that front and rear facing red lights are on
-1-1the driver’s side of the vehicle and front and rear facing blue
2lights are on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
35. An authorized emergency vehicle equipped with an
4interior or exterior light bar with red and blue flashing
5lights may be equipped with flashing or solid white lights
6scattered among or between a clear or colored lens that
7displays a red or blue flashing light.
86. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with one
9or more lights capable of emitting a split red and blue steady
10or flashing light, which may be mounted on or in the vehicle.
117. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with one
12or more lights on the side of the vehicle capable of emitting
13red and blue light, red and white light, or blue and white
14light.
158. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with one
16or more lights with a clear or colored lens.
179. An official law enforcement, fire, rescue, or emergency
18medical services vehicle may be equipped with lights or
19light bars containing one or more rear zone amber lights or
20amber directional arrows, which shall be in addition to any
21other required lighting equipment. An authorized emergency
22vehicle shall not be equipped with an amber light positioned
23on the front or side of the vehicle. However, an aerial fire
24apparatus may be equipped with amber flashing lights on the
25outriggers of the apparatus.
2610. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with
27one or more steady, oscillating, or flashing white lights,
28flashing headlamps, or flashing reverse lamps, which shall be
29in addition to any other required lighting equipment. A light
30bar shall not be equipped or used to display flashing white
31lights visible from the rear of the vehicle. This subsection
32shall not be construed to prohibit an authorized emergency
33vehicle owned by the state or a municipality, as defined in
34section 670.1, from being equipped with or using a spotlight or
35exterior light bar capable of displaying a steady white light
-2-1for use as a work light, alley light, search light, or take
2down light.
311. An authorized emergency vehicle owned by a state or a
4municipality, as defined in section 670.1, that is primarily
5used as an incident command vehicle may be equipped with one
6or more steady or flashing green lights, which shall be in
7addition to any other required lighting equipment. A steady
8or flashing green light equipped pursuant to this subsection
9shall not be activated unless the vehicle is being used as
10a stationary incident command post at the location of an
11emergency incident, an official training exercise, or for
12maintenance or demonstration purposes.
1312. An official fire department or emergency medical
14services vehicle purchased, delivered, or refurbished on or
15after July 1, 2021, shall be equipped with a master warning
16switch to activate all emergency lights on the vehicle, in
17addition to one or more switches to separately activate or
18isolate the front, side, and rear warning lights.
19 Sec. 4. Section 321.433, Code 2021, is amended to read as
20follows:
21321.433 Sirens, whistles, and bells prohibited.
221. A vehicle shall not be equipped with and a person shall
23not use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as
24otherwise permitted in this section. It is permissible but
25not required that any commercial vehicle be equipped with a
26theft alarm signal device which is so arranged that it cannot
27be used by the driver as an ordinary warning signal. Any
28authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren,
29whistle, or bell capable of emitting sound audible under normal
30conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred feet,
31but the siren, whistle, or bell shall not be used except when
32the vehicle is operated in response to an emergency call,
33an incident dangerous to the public, an official training
34exercise, for maintenance or demonstration purposes, or in
35the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of
-3-1the law, and the driver of the vehicle shall sound the siren,
2whistle, or bell when necessary to warn pedestrians and other
3drivers of the approach of the vehicle.
42. A towing or recovery vehicle, unless owned by the state
5or a municipality, as defined in section 670.1, shall not be
6equipped with a siren.
7 Sec. 5. Section 805.8A, subsection 3, Code 2021, is amended
8by adding the following new paragraph:
9 NEW PARAGRAPH. 0ac. Section 321.424 $ 45.
10 Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
11importance, takes effect upon enactment.
12EXPLANATION
13The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
14the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
15This bill allows authorized emergency vehicles to be
16equipped with a variety of lighting devices, including flashing
17headlamps, flashing or solid white lights, split red and blue
18steady or flashing lights, and lights or light bars containing
19one or more rear zone amber lights or amber directional arrows.
20The bill requires authorized emergency vehicles to be equipped
21with a combination of operational red and blue lights, and
22if equipped with a light bar, requires the light bar to be
23positioned such that the front and rear facing red lights are
24on the driver’s side of the vehicle and the front and rear
25facing blue lights are on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
26The bill also requires an official fire department or emergency
27medical services vehicle purchased, delivered, or refurbished
28on or after July 1, 2021, to be equipped with a master warning
29switch to activate all emergency lights on the vehicle, in
30addition to one or more switches to separately activate or
31isolate the front, side, and rear warning lights. In addition,
32an incident command vehicle may be equipped with one or more
33steady or flashing green lights. However, a towing or recovery
34vehicle, unless owned by the state or a municipality, is
35prohibited from being equipped with red and blue lights and a
-4-1siren.
2Under current law, a violation of Code section 321.423 or
3321.433 is punishable by a scheduled fine of $45. The bill
4provides that violations of Code section 321.424 are also
5punishable by a scheduled fine of $45.
6The bill takes effect upon enactment.
-5-th/ns
2on authorized emergency vehicles, providing penalties,
3making penalties applicable, and including effective date
4provisions.
5BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 321.423, subsection 2, paragraph f, Code
22021, is amended to read as follows:
3f. A flashing white light, including a flashing headlamp, is
4permitted on a vehicle pursuant to subsection 7.
5 Sec. 2. Section 321.423, subsection 3, paragraph a,
6subparagraph (3), Code 2021, is amended to read as follows:
7(3) An authorized emergency vehicle, other than a vehicle
8described in paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1) or (2), if the blue
9light is positioned on the passenger side of the vehicle and is
10used in conjunction with a red light positioned on the driver
11side of the vehicle.
12 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 321.424 Authorized emergency vehicle
13lights.
14Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary:
151. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with
16a combination of interior and exterior lights, flashing
17headlamps, and flashing tail lamps as provided in this section
18and in this chapter.
192. An official law enforcement, fire department, or
20emergency medical services vehicle owned by the state or a
21municipality, as defined in section 670.1, may be equipped with
22flashing headlamps.
233. An authorized emergency vehicle owned by the state,
24a municipality, as defined in section 670.1, or a private
25emergency medical services company delivering services to the
26state, a municipality, or a hospital pursuant to a written
27contract, or a privately owned vehicle designated as an
28authorized emergency vehicle pursuant to section 321.451, shall
29be equipped with a combination of operational red and blue
30lights. However, a towing or recovery vehicle, unless owned
31by the state or a municipality, shall not be equipped with red
32and blue lights.
334. An authorized emergency vehicle equipped with an
34interior or exterior light bar must have the light bar
35positioned such that front and rear facing red lights are on
-1-1the driver’s side of the vehicle and front and rear facing blue
2lights are on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
35. An authorized emergency vehicle equipped with an
4interior or exterior light bar with red and blue flashing
5lights may be equipped with flashing or solid white lights
6scattered among or between a clear or colored lens that
7displays a red or blue flashing light.
86. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with one
9or more lights capable of emitting a split red and blue steady
10or flashing light, which may be mounted on or in the vehicle.
117. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with one
12or more lights on the side of the vehicle capable of emitting
13red and blue light, red and white light, or blue and white
14light.
158. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with one
16or more lights with a clear or colored lens.
179. An official law enforcement, fire, rescue, or emergency
18medical services vehicle may be equipped with lights or
19light bars containing one or more rear zone amber lights or
20amber directional arrows, which shall be in addition to any
21other required lighting equipment. An authorized emergency
22vehicle shall not be equipped with an amber light positioned
23on the front or side of the vehicle. However, an aerial fire
24apparatus may be equipped with amber flashing lights on the
25outriggers of the apparatus.
2610. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with
27one or more steady, oscillating, or flashing white lights,
28flashing headlamps, or flashing reverse lamps, which shall be
29in addition to any other required lighting equipment. A light
30bar shall not be equipped or used to display flashing white
31lights visible from the rear of the vehicle. This subsection
32shall not be construed to prohibit an authorized emergency
33vehicle owned by the state or a municipality, as defined in
34section 670.1, from being equipped with or using a spotlight or
35exterior light bar capable of displaying a steady white light
-2-1for use as a work light, alley light, search light, or take
2down light.
311. An authorized emergency vehicle owned by a state or a
4municipality, as defined in section 670.1, that is primarily
5used as an incident command vehicle may be equipped with one
6or more steady or flashing green lights, which shall be in
7addition to any other required lighting equipment. A steady
8or flashing green light equipped pursuant to this subsection
9shall not be activated unless the vehicle is being used as
10a stationary incident command post at the location of an
11emergency incident, an official training exercise, or for
12maintenance or demonstration purposes.
1312. An official fire department or emergency medical
14services vehicle purchased, delivered, or refurbished on or
15after July 1, 2021, shall be equipped with a master warning
16switch to activate all emergency lights on the vehicle, in
17addition to one or more switches to separately activate or
18isolate the front, side, and rear warning lights.
19 Sec. 4. Section 321.433, Code 2021, is amended to read as
20follows:
21321.433 Sirens, whistles, and bells prohibited.
221. A vehicle shall not be equipped with and a person shall
23not use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as
24otherwise permitted in this section. It is permissible but
25not required that any commercial vehicle be equipped with a
26theft alarm signal device which is so arranged that it cannot
27be used by the driver as an ordinary warning signal. Any
28authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren,
29whistle, or bell capable of emitting sound audible under normal
30conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred feet,
31but the siren, whistle, or bell shall not be used except when
32the vehicle is operated in response to an emergency call,
33an incident dangerous to the public, an official training
34exercise, for maintenance or demonstration purposes, or in
35the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of
-3-1the law, and the driver of the vehicle shall sound the siren,
2whistle, or bell when necessary to warn pedestrians and other
3drivers of the approach of the vehicle.
42. A towing or recovery vehicle, unless owned by the state
5or a municipality, as defined in section 670.1, shall not be
6equipped with a siren.
7 Sec. 5. Section 805.8A, subsection 3, Code 2021, is amended
8by adding the following new paragraph:
9 NEW PARAGRAPH. 0ac. Section 321.424 $ 45.
10 Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
11importance, takes effect upon enactment.
12EXPLANATION
13The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
14the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
15This bill allows authorized emergency vehicles to be
16equipped with a variety of lighting devices, including flashing
17headlamps, flashing or solid white lights, split red and blue
18steady or flashing lights, and lights or light bars containing
19one or more rear zone amber lights or amber directional arrows.
20The bill requires authorized emergency vehicles to be equipped
21with a combination of operational red and blue lights, and
22if equipped with a light bar, requires the light bar to be
23positioned such that the front and rear facing red lights are
24on the driver’s side of the vehicle and the front and rear
25facing blue lights are on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
26The bill also requires an official fire department or emergency
27medical services vehicle purchased, delivered, or refurbished
28on or after July 1, 2021, to be equipped with a master warning
29switch to activate all emergency lights on the vehicle, in
30addition to one or more switches to separately activate or
31isolate the front, side, and rear warning lights. In addition,
32an incident command vehicle may be equipped with one or more
33steady or flashing green lights. However, a towing or recovery
34vehicle, unless owned by the state or a municipality, is
35prohibited from being equipped with red and blue lights and a
-4-1siren.
2Under current law, a violation of Code section 321.423 or
3321.433 is punishable by a scheduled fine of $45. The bill
4provides that violations of Code section 321.424 are also
5punishable by a scheduled fine of $45.
6The bill takes effect upon enactment.
-5-th/ns