EMERGENCY RESCUE UNIT H.B. 4642 (H-2):
COMMITTEE SUMMARY
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House Bill 4642 (Substitute H-2 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Ed McBroom
House Committee: Transportation
Senate Committee: Transportation
Date Completed: 10-10-11
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to include in the definition of "authorized emergency vehicle" the privately owned vehicles of volunteer members of an emergency rescue unit.
Under the Code, "authorized emergency vehicle" includes vehicles of the fire department, police vehicles, ambulances, and privately owned motor vehicles of volunteer or paid fire fighters if authorized by the chief of an organized fire department, or privately owned motor vehicles of volunteer or paid members of a life support agency licensed by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs if authorized by the life support agency.
The bill would include in the definition the vehicles of volunteer members of an emergency rescue unit, if authorized by the fire chief. "Emergency rescue unit" would mean an entity with training in a specialized discipline exceeding the level of training for medical first responders.
The bill also would refer to privately owned motor vehicles of fire fighters or emergency rescue unit volunteers if authorized by a county sheriff or the Director of the Michigan State Police.
The bill would define "medical first responder" and "life support agency" as those terms are defined in Section 20906 of the Public Health Code. (Under that section, "medical first responder" means an individual who has met the educational requirements of an approved medical first responder course and who is licensed to provide medical first response life support as part of a medical first response service or as a driver of an ambulance that provides basic life support services only. "Life support agency" means an ambulance operation, nontransport prehospital life support operation, aircraft transport operation, or medical first response service.)
MCL 257.2
BACKGROUND
The term "authorized emergency vehicle" is used in a number of places in the Michigan Vehicle Code.
Section 312e requires a person to obtain a vehicle group designation before operating a commercial vehicle, but provides an exemption for a police officer or firefighter operating an authorized emergency vehicle.
Section 603 permits the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle to exercise certain privileges, such as exceeding speed limits and not stopping for a red light, when responding to an emergency call.
Under Section 616a, an operator, passenger, or owner of an authorized emergency vehicle may use a portable signal preemptive device (a device that can change a traffic control signal to green out of sequence) in the course of his or her emergency duties.
Section 653a requires drivers to exercise due care and caution when approaching and passing an authorized emergency vehicle, and establishes criminal penalties for failure to do so.
Sections 698 and 706 allow authorized emergency vehicles to be equipped with certain equipment, such as flashing red lights and sirens.
Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco
Matthew GrabowskiAnalysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4642/1112