Relating to lighting devices and other equipment on authorized emergency vehicles, providing penalties, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions

Topics:Transportation

Same legislation: HSB 189, SF 331, HF 654

Write your legislators about itWhat changed before it passed

Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedJanuary 13, 2021
Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 20, 2021
Done: Senate committeeFebruary 11, 2021
Skipped: Passes the SenateContinued as SF 331
Next: House committee
Next: Passes the House
Next: To the Governor
Next: Signed into law

Became SF 331 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to SF 331 What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

This bill allows authorized emergency vehicles to be equipped with a variety of lighting devices, including flashing headlamps, flashing or solid white lights, split red and blue steady or flashing lights, and lights or light bars containing one or more rear zone amber lights or amber directional arrows. The bill requires authorized emergency vehicles to be equipped with a combination of operational red and blue lights, and if equipped with a light bar, requires the light bar to be positioned such that the front and rear facing red lights are on the driver’s side of the vehicle and the front and rear facing blue lights are on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.

Read the full explanation

The bill also requires an official fire department or emergency medical services vehicle purchased, delivered, or refurbished on or after July 1, 2021, to be equipped with a master warning switch to activate all emergency lights on the vehicle, in addition to one or more switches to separately activate or isolate the front, side, and rear warning lights. In addition, an incident command vehicle may be equipped with one or more steady or flashing green lights. siren.433 is punishable by a scheduled fine of $45.424 are also punishable by a scheduled fine of $45. The bill takes effect upon enactment.

Changed since by amendments S-3102, S-3101; see Amendments.

Full bill text · What changed before it passed¹

Senate subcommittee

Named January 20, 2021. On February 1, 2021 it recommended 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

Fiscal note

AI summary This bill outlines where authorized emergency vehicles can use specific lighting equipment and colors and creates a $45 fine for violations. There may be an increase in fine and surcharge revenue for the state's General Fund, the EMS Fund, and various other state funds, but the exact amount is unknown.²

Read the fiscal note

Description

House File 654 creates Iowa Code section 321.424, which outlines where authorized emergency vehicles can equip lighting equipment and authorizes the different colors and functions of those lights. A fine of $45 is created within Iowa Code section 805.8A(3) for violations of new Iowa Code section 321.424.

Background

Iowa law currently provides circumstances in which blue, red, white, and amber lights may be used on vehicles. Flashing lights on or in a motor vehicle are prohibited except for the following instances:

On an authorized emergency vehicle.
On a vehicle when used to indicate a turn, a mechanical failure, or an emergency stop.
On a vehicle used by a rural mail carrier when stopped or stopping near a highway to deliver mail, or if the shade of the light is between white and amber and mounted as a dome light on top of the vehicle.
On a vehicle being operated under an excess size permit.
A blue light under Iowa Code section 321.423(3) and a white light under Iowa Code section 321.423(7).
Red, amber, and white lights used by school buses as described in Iowa Code sections 321.372 and 321.373(7).
An amber light on a towing or recovery vehicle; utility, municipal, or highway maintenance vehicle; construction vehicle; or certain other vehicles.
Modulating headlamps on a motorcycle.
On a vehicle being operated as an escort vehicle for a funeral procession under Iowa Code section 321.324A.

Assumptions

There will be an unknown increase in fine and surcharge revenue as a result of House File 654.

Correctional Impact

House File 654 creates a new citation under Iowa Code section 805.8A(3). Since the violation of this citation does not result in imprisonment, this Bill is not estimated to have a correctional impact. Refer to the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) memo addressed to the General Assembly, Cost Estimates Used for Correctional Impact Statements, dated January 22, 2021, for information related to the correctional system.

Minority Impact

House File 654 establishes a new citation under Iowa Code section 805.8A(3). Since this is a new citation, it is unknown how many violations there may be, and as a result, the minority impact is unknown. Refer to the LSA memo addressed to the General Assembly, Minority Impact Statement, dated January 27, 2021, for information related to minorities in the criminal justice system.

Fiscal Impact

Since House File 654 establishes a new citation, there may be an increase in fine and surcharge revenue, but the impact is unknown. Table 1 shows the distribution of fine revenue for one citation of the scheduled violation established under this Bill. Table 1 — Fine and Surcharge Revenue Distribution