Report Title:

Emergency Vehicles; division of conservation and resource enforcement

 

Description:

Allows the use of blue and red lights on approved law enforcement vehicles of the conservation and resource enforcement division, department of land and natural resources.  Amends the definition of authorized emergency vehicles. (HB714 HD1)

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

714

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to emergency vehicles.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  Section 291-31.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  No person shall knowingly operate, affix or cause to be affixed, display, or possess any lamp, reflector, or illumination device which appears to be the color blue, or blue and red as provided in paragraph (3), upon any motor vehicle, motorcycle, motor scooter, bicycle, or moped except for: 

     (1)  [county] County law enforcement vehicles authorized and approved by the chief of police of the county in which the vehicle is operated; [or]

     (2)  [department] Department of public safety law enforcement vehicles authorized and approved by the director of public safety[.]; or

     (3)  Department of land and natural resources, division of conservation and resource enforcement, vehicles authorized and approved by the chairperson of the board of land and natural resources; provided that any lamp, reflector, or illumination device approved by the chairperson of the board of land and natural resources shall be a combination of the colors blue and red.

This prohibition shall not apply to factory-installed instrument illumination."

     SECTION 2.  Section 291C-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "authorized emergency vehicle" to read as follows:

     ""Authorized emergency vehicle" includes [such] fire department vehicles, police vehicles, ambulances, and ocean safety vehicles [as] that are publicly owned, vehicles authorized and approved pursuant to section 291-31.5, and [such] other publicly or privately owned vehicles [as are] designated by the city or county council."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.