Emergency vehicles operated as escorts for vehicle processions

What it does

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

Current law generally exempts the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle from traffic restrictions relating to speed and traffic signals only if the vehicle is responding to an emergency call or in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law and if the vehicle's warning lights and siren are activated. However, police vehicles may, with warning lights activated, escort another vehicle or procession of vehicles. With each escorted vehicle or vehicle procession, there must be at least one police vehicle escort in the lead and at least one police vehicle escort at the rear of the vehicle or procession. The escorting police vehicles and escorted vehicles are not required to stop at red traffic signals or stop signs but must obey all other traffic laws.

These privileges apply to the operator of a police vehicle only if the law enforcement agency employing the operator has provided written guidelines for its officers and employees regarding the escorting of vehicles. The escorting police vehicles and escorted vehicles must yield the right-of-way to any other authorized emergency vehicle with its siren activated. All other vehicles must yield the right-of-way to the escorting police vehicles and escorted vehicles and may not drive between them.

Who's behind it

5 representatives are its authors⁠. 3 are Republicans and 2 are Democrats.

2 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.