BILL NUMBER: AB 254	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 21, 2009
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 16, 2009
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 13, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Jeffries
    (   Coauthor:   Assembly Member  
Bill Berryhill  ) 
    (   Coauthors:   Senators   Cox
  and Runner   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 11, 2009

   An act to amend Section 23301 of, and to add Section 23301.5 to,
the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 254, as amended, Jeffries. Emergency vehicles: payment of
tolls: exemptions.
   Under existing law, a vehicle that enters into or upon a vehicular
crossing immediately becomes liable for tolls and other charges
prescribed by the California Transportation Commission.
   Under existing law, it is unlawful to refuse to pay, or to evade
or attempt to evade the payment of, tolls or other charges on any
vehicular crossing, as defined, or toll highway.
   This bill would exempt authorized emergency vehicles, as defined,
from payment of a toll or charge on a vehicular crossing or toll
highway and any related fines, under specified conditions, including,
but not limited to, when the vehicle is being driven while
responding to  or returning from  an urgent or emergency
call, participating in an urgent or emergency response, or engaging
in a fire station coverage assignment directly related to an
emergency response.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 23301 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   23301.  Except as provided in Section 23301.5, each vehicle that
enters into or upon a vehicular crossing immediately becomes liable
for those tolls and other charges as may from time to time be
prescribed by the California Transportation Commission.
  SEC. 2.  Section 23301.5 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
   23301.5.  (a) An authorized emergency vehicle is exempt from any
requirement to pay a toll or other charge on a vehicular crossing or
toll highway, including the requirements of Section 23301, if all of
the following conditions are satisfied:
   (1) The authorized emergency vehicle is properly displaying an
exempt California license plate, and is properly identified or marked
as an authorized emergency vehicle, including, but not limited to,
displaying an external surface-mounted red warning light, blue
warning light, or both, and displaying public agency identification,
including, but not limited to, "Fire Department," "Sheriff," or
"Police."
   (2) The vehicle is being driven while responding to  or
returning from  an urgent or emergency call, participating in an
urgent or emergency response, or engaging in a fire station coverage
assignment directly related to an emergency response  , and
the vehicle's red warning light, blue warning light, or both, are
lighted  .
   (3) The driver of the vehicle determines that the use of the toll
facility shall likely improve the  availability or  response
and arrival time of the authorized emergency vehicle and its
delivery of essential public safety services.
   (b) If the operator of a toll facility elects to send a bill or
invoice to the public agency for the use of the toll facility by an
authorized emergency vehicle, exempt pursuant to subdivision (a), the
fire chief, police chief, county sheriff, head of the public agency,
or his or her designee is authorized to certify in writing that the
authorized emergency vehicle is exempt from the payment of the toll
or other charge in accordance with this section. The letter shall be
accepted by the toll operator in lieu of payment and is a public
document.
   (c) This section shall not prohibit a toll operator and a local
emergency service provider from entering into an agreement, or a toll
operator, from having a policy, that meets or exceeds the conditions
of this section.
   (d) Sections 23302 and 23302.5 do not apply to authorized
emergency vehicles exempt pursuant to this section.