Police escorts and vehicle rights-of-way related to escorted vehicles and providing a penalty

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Current law generally requires a vehicle facing a red traffic signal to stop before entering an intersection and remain stopped until the signal turns green and requires a vehicle approaching a stop sign to stop before entering the intersection and yield the right-of-way to other vehicles that have entered the intersection or are approaching on a highway not controlled by a stop sign or traffic signal. The leading vehicle in a funeral procession must comply with these stopping requirements for traffic control signals and stop signs, but when the leading vehicle has complied with these requirements and proceeded through an intersection, all other vehicles in the funeral procession that have their headlights on may proceed without stopping, regardless of the sign or signal.

Under current law, when an authorized emergency vehicle is responding to an emergency call or in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, the operator is exempt from traffic restrictions relating to parking if the vehicle's warning lights are activated. The operator of an authorized emergency vehicle is also exempt from traffic restrictions relating to speed, traffic signals, and direction of travel if the vehicle's warning lights and siren are activated. Even when an authorized emergency vehicle is operated with the vehicle's warning lights and siren activated, the operator must drive with due regard under the circumstances for the safety of all persons.

Who's behind it

15 lawmakers are its authors⁠. 9 are Democrats and 6 are Republicans.

5 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.