Amended in Senate April 4, 2013

Senate Bill No. 573

Introduced by Senator Lieu

February 22, 2013

An act begin insert to amend Section 2416 of the Vehicle Code, end insert relating to vehicles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 573, as amended, Lieu. Vehicles: emergency vehicles.

Existing law authorizes the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol to issue authorized emergency vehicle permits for specified vehicles, and then only upon a finding in each case that the vehicle is used in responding to emergency calls for fire or law enforcement or for the immediate preservation of life or property or for the apprehension of law violators.

This bill would begin delete state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to emergency vehicle responses across multiple jurisdictions end delete begin insert authorize the issuance of an emergency vehicle permit to a vehicle owned and operated by a hospital designated by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services as a disaster resource center hospital, that is used exclusively to transport mass-casualty decontamination apparatus medical supplies, lifesaving equipment, or personnel to the scene of an emergency, as specified end insert .

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This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

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begin insert Section 2416 of the end insert begin insert Vehicle Code end insert begin insert is amended to
read: end insert

2416.  

(a) The Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol
may issue authorized emergency vehicle permits only for the
following vehicles, and then only upon a finding in each case that
the vehicle is used in responding to emergency calls for fire or law
enforcement or for the immediate preservation of life or property
or for the apprehension of law violators:

(1) Any vehicle maintained in whole or in part by the state, a
county or a city and privately owned and operated by a marshal,
deputy marshal, or person who is a member of, and who receives
salary from, and is regularly employed by, a police department or
sheriff’s department, begin delete provided end delete begin insert if end insert the state, county or city does not
furnish to that person a publicly owned authorized emergency
vehicle.

(2) Any vehicle owned and operated by a public utility, used
primarily to accomplish emergency repairs to utility facilities or
used primarily by railroad police officers, who are commissioned
by the Governor, in the performance of their duties.

(3) Firefighting or rescue equipment designed and operated
exclusively as such.

(4) Any vehicle operated by the chief, assistant chief, or one
other uniformed person designated by the chief of a fire department
organized as provided in the Health and Safety Code or the
Government Code or pursuant to special act of the Legislature.

(5) Any vehicle of an air pollution control district used to
enforce provisions of law relating to air pollution from motor
vehicles.

(6) Any vehicle operated by the chief of any fire department
established on any base of the armed forces of the United States.

(7) Any vehicle owned and operated by any fire company
organized pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 14825)
of the Health and Safety Code.

(8) Privately owned ambulances licensed pursuant to Chapter
2.5 (commencing with Section 2500).

(9) Vehicles other than privately owned ambulances used by
privately owned ambulance operators exclusively to transport
medical supplies, lifesaving equipment, or personnel to the scene
of an emergency when a request for medical supplies, lifesaving
equipment, or personnel has been made by any person or public
agency responsible for providing emergency medical
transportation. These vehicles shall display a sign or lettering not
less than two and one-half inches in height, in a color providing a
sharp contrast to its background, on each side showing the name
of the ambulance operator.

(10) Any vehicle owned and operated by an office or department
of a city, county, or district begin delete which end delete begin insert that end insert is designated by an
ordinance adopted by the governing body of that local agency as
a hazardous materials response team vehicle for response to
hazardous materials emergencies.

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(11) Any vehicle owned and operated by a hospital designated
by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services as a
disaster resource center hospital, that is used exclusively to
transport mass-casualty decontamination apparatus medical
supplies, lifesaving equipment, or personnel to the scene of an
emergency, at the request of a fire department or law enforcement
agency, a hospital incident management team, the Los Angeles
County Emergency Medical Service Agency, or any other public
agency responsible for providing local emergency services. The
hospital responsible for operating the vehicle pursuant to this
paragraph shall maintain insurance coverage for the vehicle in
accordance with the financial responsibility provisions of Division
7 (commencing with Section 16000).

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(b) The commissioner may adopt and enforce regulations to
implement this section.

(c) Violation of any regulation adopted by the commissioner
pursuant to this section is a misdemeanor.

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begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

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The Legislature finds and declares that a special law
is necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable
within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California
Constitution because of the unique circumstances in the County
of Los Angeles relative to its disaster resource center program,
which is coordinated by the Los Angeles County Emergency
Medical Services Agency and funded through federal grants.

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SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation relating to emergency vehicle responses across multiple
jurisdictions.

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