SSB 6356 -
By Committee on Transportation
ADOPTED 03/03/2010
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 It is the intent of the legislature to
protect the public to ensure that only federal, state, and local law
enforcement and emergency personnel, public or private, or other
entities authorized by law to use emergency equipment have access to
emergency equipment and vehicles.
Sec. 2 RCW 46.37.195 and 1990 c 94 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a public
agency, business, entity, or person shall not sell or give emergency
vehicle lighting equipment or other equipment to a person who may not
lawfully operate the lighting equipment or other equipment on the
public streets and highways. Prior to selling or giving an emergency
vehicle to a person or entity that is not a public law enforcement or
emergency agency within or outside the state, public law enforcement or
emergency agency in another country, or private ambulance business
within or outside the state, the seller or donor must remove all
emergency lighting as defined in rules by the Washington state patrol,
radios, and any other emergency equipment from the vehicle, except for
reflective stripes and paint on fire trucks, that was not originally
installed by the original vehicle manufacturer and that visibly
identifies the vehicle as an emergency vehicle from the exterior,
including spotlights and confinement or rear seat safety cages. If the
equipment is not retained or transferred to another public law
enforcement or emergency agency within or outside the state, public law
enforcement or emergency agency in another country, or private
ambulance business within or outside the state, the equipment must be
dismantled with the individual parts being recycled or destroyed prior
to being disposed of. The agency must also remove all decals, state
and local designated law enforcement colors, and stripes that were not
installed by the original vehicle manufacturer.
(2) The sale or donation to a broker specializing in the resale of
emergency vehicles, or a charitable organization, intending to deliver
the vehicle or equipment to a public law enforcement or emergency
agency within or outside the state, public law enforcement or emergency
agency in another country, or private ambulance business within or
outside the state, is allowed with the emergency equipment still
installed and intact. If the broker or charitable organization sells
or donates the emergency vehicle to a person or entity that is not a
public law enforcement or emergency agency, or private ambulance
business, the broker or charitable organization must remove the
equipment and designations and is accountable and responsible for the
removal of the equipment and designations not installed on the vehicle
by the original vehicle manufacturer. Equipment not sold or donated to
a public law enforcement or emergency agency, or a private ambulance
business, must be removed and transferred, destroyed, or recycled in
accordance with subsection (1) of this section."
Correct the title.
EFFECT: A spotlight is identified specifically as one of the items
that must be removed from an emergency vehicle prior to selling or
donating the vehicle to a person or entity that is not a public law
enforcement or emergency agency or a private ambulance business.