STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2016 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Requires removal of equipment and markings on certain used emergency vehicles; requires that Attorney General issue guidelines or directives.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning used authorized emergency vehicles and supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. For the purposes of this act:
"Equipment" shall include, but not be limited to, handheld spotlights affixed to side mirrors, antennas used for emergency response communication equipment, mobile vision and mobile data terminals, sirens, strobe lights, or any other light with optional strobe functions typically used on an authorized emergency vehicle;
"Marking" shall include, but not be limited to, any decal, insignia, or striping added to the authorized emergency vehicle by a State or municipal agency, or any other government entity engaged in law enforcement, fire services, or emergency medical transportation; and
"Siren" shall include, but not be limited to, an adjustment to the standard horn in a steering wheel.
b. Prior to the sale or transfer of an authorized emergency vehicle as defined in R.S.39:1-1, to a person or an entity other than a State or municipal agency; any government entity engaged in law enforcement, fire services, or emergency medical transportation; a volunteer fire company, a volunteer first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad; a person who is an authorized dealer of emergency vehicles; or a non-governmental emergency service provider, any equipment or marking that would identify the vehicle as an authorized emergency vehicle shall be removed.
c. The Attorney General shall issue guidelines or directives for the enforcement of this act.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month following enactment, but the Attorney General may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that, prior to the sale or transfer of an "authorized emergency vehicle," any equipment or marking that would identify it as an emergency vehicle be removed.
Current law defines "authorized emergency vehicle" as any vehicle of the fire department, police department or ambulance and other vehicles as are approved by the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission when operated in response to an emergency call. The provisions of this bill would not apply to a State or municipal agency; any government entity engaged in law enforcement, fire services, or emergency medical transportation; a volunteer fire company; a volunteer first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad; a person who is an authorized dealer of emergency vehicles; or a non-governmental emergency service provider that purchases a used emergency vehicle.
Under the bill, equipment required to be removed includes handheld spotlights affixed to side mirrors, antennas used for emergency response communication equipment, mobile vision and mobile data terminals, sirens, strobe lights, or any other light with optional strobe functions typically used on an authorized emergency vehicle. Markings that are to be removed include any decal, insignia, or striping added to the authorized emergency vehicle by a State or municipal agency, or any other government entity engaged in law enforcement, fire services, or emergency medical transportation.
Lastly, the bill requires the Attorney General to issue guidelines or directives for the enforcement of this requirement.