BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1385
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 27, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
                                   Mike Eng, Chair
                    AB 1385 (Miller) - As Amended:  March 31, 2009
           
          SUBJECT  :  Authorized emergency vehicles: blue warning lights

           SUMMARY  :  Authorizes certain members of an arson-investigating  
          unit, a fire department or fire protection agency, voluntary  
          fire wardens as designated by the Director of Forestry and Fire  
          Protection, and firefighters or security guards designated by  
          the Military Department, to display a steady or flashing blue  
          warning light from their vehicle in the performance of his or  
          her duties.  

           EXISTING LAW  :  

          1)Authorizes a peace officer, as specified, while in performance  
            of his or her duty to display a steady or flashing blue  
            warning light visible from the front, sides or rear of the  
            vehicle.  

          2)Defines a peace officer, for purposes of using a steady or  
            flashing blue warning lights while in performance of his or  
            her duty, as any sheriff, undersheriff, or deputy sheriff,  
            employed in that capacity, of a county, any chief of police of  
            a city or chief, director, or chief executive officer of a  
            consolidated municipal public safety agency that performs  
            police functions.  

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  Unknown

           COMMENTS  :  According to the sponsor, the California State  
          Firefighters' Association (CSFA), this bill would "add peace  
          officers that work for a fire department to the existing list of  
          peace officers permitted to operate a vehicle equipped with  
          steady or flashing blue lights."  The author adds that many fire  
          departments in California that serve large populations maintain  
          their own law enforcement personnel to better focus on such  
          dangerous crimes as arson, terrorism, illegal fireworks, and  
          destructive devices.  

          CSFA points out that allowing a peace officer from a fire  
          department to use flashing blue lights will allow for easier  








                                                                  AB 1385
                                                                  Page  2

          recognition of fellow peace officers from other agencies and  
          will facilitate assistance and cooperation among agencies.  

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :  

           Support 
           
          California State Firefighters' Association (sponsor)
          California Conference of Arson Investigators 

           Opposition 
           
          None on file  
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :   Alejandro Esparza / TRANS. / (916)  
          319-2093