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Committee adopts amendment and advances bill allowing certain privileges for ambulance crews in private vehicles
Summary
CS/SB 1644 would authorize ambulance drivers affiliated with licensed medical facilities or volunteer ambulance services to exercise specified privileges when responding to emergencies in privately owned vehicles, and an amendment broadened permitted warning signals for volunteer emergency vehicles. The committee reported the bill favorably.
CS/SB 1644 authorizes drivers who are employed by state-licensed medical facilities or volunteer ambulance services to exercise certain privileges when responding to emergencies in privately owned vehicles. Senator Rodriguez sponsored the measure and brought a committee amendment (barcode 777272) that expands the allowed use of red or red-and-white warning signals on the vehicles of volunteer firefighters, medical staff and organ-transport vehicles by removing previous restrictions on the number of warning signals displayed.
Andre Reutman waived in support for information; no opposition was recorded in committee. Senator Rodriguez closed by asking for the committee’s favorable support. The committee adopted the amendment and reported CS/SB 1644 favorably by roll call.
The committee record does not include implementation details such as training requirements, regulatory guidance, or whether a permit or decal would be required for privately owned responders; those elements would be developed in implementing rulemaking or later statutory language if enacted.
