Bills › 88th General Assembly
Relating to motor vehicles approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights, and making penalties applicable
Topics:Transportation
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 14, 2020
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 22, 2020
- Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2020 session adjourned on June 14, 2020, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
Current law requires an operator of a motor vehicle approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle that is displaying flashing lights to approach the authorized emergency vehicle with due caution and, absent any other direction by a peace officer, to either make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle or, if doing so would be impossible, prohibited by law, or unsafe, reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to less than the posted speed limit and be prepared to stop.
Read the full explanation
This bill instead requires the operator, regardless of whether the operator makes a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle, to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to a reasonable and proper speed for the existing road and traffic conditions, which speed shall be at least miles per hour less than the posted speed limit, and be prepared to stop. By operation of law, a violation of the bill is a simple misdemeanor punishable by a scheduled fine of $100. A violation that results in an accident causing bodily injury to another person is subject to an additional fine of $500, and a violation that results in an accident causing the death of another person is subject to an additional fine of $1,000. Lastly, a violation that results in an accident causing damage to the property of another person or bodily injury to or the death of another person is punishable by the suspension of the violator’s driver’s license for certain periods depending on the violation.
Senate subcommittee
Named January 22, 2020. On January 28, 2020 it recommended amendment and passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part