Bill Text: IA SF263 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the operation of a rescue vehicle when responding to an emergency.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-23 - Subcommittee, Danielson, Brase, and Breitbach. S.J. 343. [SF263 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-SF263-Introduced.html
Senate File 263 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY SCHNEIDER and WHITVER A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the operation of a rescue vehicle when 2 responding to an emergency. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1941XS (3) 86 ns/nh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 321.231, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2015, 1 2 are amended to read as follows: 1 3 3. The driver of a fire department vehicle, police vehicle, 1 4 rescue vehicle, or ambulance, or a peace officer riding a 1 5 police bicycle in the line of duty may do any of the following: 1 6 a. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only 1 7 after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation. 1 8 b. Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as the driver 1 9 does not endanger life or property. 1 10 4. The exemptions granted to an authorized emergency 1 11 vehicle under subsection 2 and for a fire department vehicle, 1 12 police vehicle, rescue vehicle, or ambulance as provided in 1 13 subsection 3 shall apply only when such vehicle is making use 1 14 of an audible signaling device meeting the requirements of 1 15 section 321.433 or a visual signaling device, except that use 1 16 of an audible or visual signaling device shall not be required 1 17 when exercising the exemption granted under subsection 3, 1 18 paragraph "b" of this section when the vehicle is operated by 1 19 a peace officer, pursuing a suspected violator of the speed 1 20 restrictions imposed by or pursuant to this chapter, for the 1 21 purpose of determining the speed of travel of such suspected 1 22 violator. 1 23 EXPLANATION 1 24 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 25 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 26 Under current law, the driver of an authorized emergency 1 27 vehicle may exercise driving privileges relating to parking 1 28 and directional signs when responding to an emergency call. 1 29 Certain types of authorized emergency vehicles including fire 1 30 department vehicles, police vehicles, and ambulances, as well 1 31 as peace officers riding on police bicycles, may proceed past 1 32 red stop signals or stop signs and exceed speed limits while 1 33 exercising necessary safety precautions and using an audible 1 34 or visual signal. This bill includes rescue vehicles in that 1 35 category of authorized emergency vehicles that may ignore red 2 1 stop signals or stop signs and exceed speed limits in emergency 2 2 situations. A "rescue vehicle" is a motor vehicle which is 2 3 equipped with rescue, fire, or life support equipment used to 2 4 assist and rescue persons in emergencies or support emergency 2 5 personnel in the performance of their duties. LSB 1941XS (3) 86 ns/nh
