Committee adopts amendment, advances bill expanding red-light use to certain parole and corrections vehicles

The House Transportation Committee adopted an amendment to House Bill 2582 and reported the bill as committed after a brief discussion of the amendment's public-safety rationale.

Kyle, the committee staffer, summarized HB 2582 as a measure authorizing flashing red lights on state parole fugitive-apprehension emergency vehicles when used under specified conditions and subject to Department of Corrections policies and approved emergency-vehicle operator training.

Chairman Benninghoff offered amendment A03733, and staff member Lane summarized it: "Amendment A03733 ... grants emergency vehicle status to county corrections vehicles when responding to an emergency at a prison or when escorting an ambulance with a prisoner," expanding permissions that had been limited to Philadelphia to all Pennsylvania counties.

Benninghoff said the amendment addresses situations in which a corrections officer's vehicle can become separated from the emergency vehicle and that lights would keep the vehicles connected, allowing them to "assist the ambulance by moving through" traffic. The amendment was adopted after no objections were raised. The committee then voted on HB 2582 as amended; the chair recorded no negative votes and reported the bill as committed.

The bill and adopted amendment, as described in committee, require vehicles to follow Department of Corrections policies governing use, supervision, safety and reporting; the staff summary said one amendment had been filed and the measure includes training and policy requirements.