BILL NUMBER: SB 573	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JANUARY 6, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 4, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Lieu

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2013

   An act to amend Section 2416 of the Vehicle Code, 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 authorize the  issuance of 
commissioner to issue  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   if the vehicle  is used
exclusively to transport  mass-casualty   mass
casualty  decontamination apparatus medical supplies, lifesaving
equipment, or personnel to the scene of an emergency, as specified.
 The bill would require the hospital responsible for operating
the vehicle to provide emergency vehicle operations training to
vehicle operators and to maintain insurance coverage for the vehicle.

   This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to
the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.
   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 2416 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   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, if 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 that 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.
   (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,   hospital  that
is used exclusively to transport  mass-casualty 
 mass casualty  decontamination apparatus medical supplies,
lifesaving equipment, or personnel to the scene of an 
emergency,   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)  and provide emergency
vehicle operations training to vehicle operators  .
   (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.
  SEC. 2.  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.