What's happening
This bill allows volunteer firefighters and ambulance members to affix up to two blue or green lights on their vehicles.
Why it matters
Increases visibility and safety for volunteers. By allowing up to two blue or green lights instead of just one, volunteer firefighters and ambulance members can be more easily seen by other drivers when responding to emergencies, potentially improving their safety and response times.
Clarifies and standardizes permissions. The bill requires written authorization from the relevant fire or ambulance chief to use these lights, maintaining oversight and helping prevent misuse while ensuring clear guidelines for volunteers.
Extends privilege to more vehicle ownership situations. The law covers not just personally owned vehicles but also those owned by family members in the same household or by businesses in which the volunteer has a stake or is employed, making it more practical for volunteers to equip the vehicles they actually use.
Maintains restrictions to prevent abuse. The lights may only be used during actual emergency operations by authorized personnel, preserving the special status of these signals and helping to avoid confusion or improper use by non-emergency drivers.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Two Emergency Lights
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7048
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2020
Introduced by Sen. METZGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the display of blue and green lights on certain motor vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraph a of paragraph 4 and the opening paragraph of paragraph 5 of subdivision 41 of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law, subparagraph a of paragraph 4 as amended by chapter 465 of the laws of 2010, and the opening paragraph of paragraph 5 as amended by chapter 349 of the laws of 2004, are amended to read as follows:
a. [One] Up to two blue [light] lights may be affixed to any motor vehicle owned by a volunteer member of a fire department or on a motor vehicle owned by a member of such person's family residing in the same household or by a business enterprise in which such person has a proprietary interest or by which he or she is employed, provided such volunteer firefighter has been authorized in writing to so affix [a] up to two blue [light] lights by the chief of the fire department or company of which he or she is a member, which authorization shall be subject to revocation at any time by the chief who issued the same or his or her successor in office. Such blue [light] lights may be displayed exclusively by such volunteer firefighter on such a vehicle only when engaged in an emergency operation. The use of blue lights on vehicles shall be restricted for use only by a volunteer firefighter except as otherwise provided for in subparagraph b of this paragraph.
[One] Up to two green [light] lights may be affixed to any motor vehicle owned by a member of a volunteer ambulance service, or on a motor vehicle owned by a member of such person's family, or by a business enterprise in which such person has a proprietary interest or by which he is employed, provided such member has been authorized in writing to so affix [a] up to two green [light] lights by the chief officer of such service as designated by the members thereof. Such green [light] lights may be displayed exclusively by such member of a volunteer ambulance
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14288-01-9
S. 7048 2
service only when engaged in an emergency operation. The use of green lights on vehicles shall be restricted for use only by a member of a volunteer ambulance service as provided for in this paragraph.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the display of blue and green lights on certain motor vehicles
Purpose
The purpose of this legislation is to permit volunteer firefighter and ambulance workers to make their vehicles more visible when responding to emergencies.
Summary of provisions
Section 1- Amends section 375, subdivision 41 of the vehicle and traffic law, to increase the number of permissible lights a volunteer firefight- er or ambulance worker may place on their vehicle when responding to an emergency. A vehicle, under this proposal, may have two lights of regu- lation color.
Section 2 -This act shall take effect immediately.
Existing law
Under the existing law, a volunteer firefighter may use one blue light and a volunteer ambulance worker may use one green light on their personal vehicle.
Justification
Many volunteer first responders, whether they are firefighters or members of an ambulance service, use their personal vehicles to respond to emergency situations. Volunteer services are primarily found in rural parts of the state where there may be no or limited streetlights. Motor- ists on these roads may not be aware of an upcoming emergency situation until they see lights from the volunteers' personal vehicle. This legis- lation will help to increase the visibility of these first responders by increases the number of permitted lights from one to two and therefore make it safer for first responders and motorists.
Legislative history
This is new legislation.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately. NEW YORK STATE SENATE INTRODUCER'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT submitted in
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.