PRINTER'S NO. 121
No. 124 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY HOLL, JANUARY 21, 1997
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, JANUARY 21, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of May 21, 1937 (P.L.774, No.211), entitled "An
2 act to facilitate vehicular traffic between the eastern and
3 western sections of the Commonwealth by providing for the
4 construction, operation and maintenance of a turnpike from a
5 point at or near Middlesex in Cumberland County to a point at
6 or near Irwin in Westmoreland County; providing for the
7 creation of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and
8 conferring powers and imposing duties on said commission;
9 authorizing the issuance of turnpike revenue bonds of the
10 Commonwealth, payable solely from tolls, to pay the cost of
11 such turnpike; providing that no debt of the Commonwealth
12 shall be incurred in the exercise of any of the powers
13 granted by this act; providing for the collection of tolls
14 for the payment of such bonds and for the cost of
15 maintenance, operation and repair of the turnpike; making
16 such bonds exempt from taxation; constituting such bonds
17 legal investments in certain instances; prescribing
18 conditions upon which such turnpike shall become free;
19 providing for condemnation; granting certain powers and
20 authority to municipal subdivisions and agencies of the
21 Commonwealth to cooperate with the commission; and
22 authorizing the issuance of turnpike revenue refunding
23 bonds," further providing for access and egress by emergency
24 vehicles.
25 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
26 hereby enacts as follows:
27 Section 1. Section 5.3 of the act of May 21, 1937 (P.L.774,
28 No.211), referred to as the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
1 Act, added December 16, 1981 (P.L.427, No.133), is amended to
2 read:
3 Section 5.3. (a) Emergency vehicles [while on an emergency
4 call and while displaying audible and visual signals as required
5 by 75 Pa.C.S. § 4571 (relating to visual and audible signals on
6 emergency vehicles),] shall be granted [immediate] entrance to
7 and exit from, without the payment or assessment of any toll or
8 charge, any turnpike or highway under the supervision and
9 control of the commission[, and no such emergency vehicle shall
10 be required to stop at a toll booth or for any other reason
11 except on order of a member of the Pennsylvania State Police for
12 a legitimate law enforcement function]. While on an emergency
13 call and while displaying audible and visual signals as required
14 by 75 Pa.C.S. § 4571 (relating to visual and audible signals on
15 emergency vehicles), an emergency vehicle shall be granted
16 immediate entrance to and exit from any turnpike or highway
17 under the supervision and control of the commission. While on an
18 emergency call, an emergency vehicle shall not be required to
19 stop at a toll booth or for any other reason except on order of
20 a member of the Pennsylvania State Police for a legitimate law
21 enforcement function. The commission shall notify all employes
22 of the commission who are assigned duties of toll booths of the
23 provisions of this section.
24 (b) As used in this section, the term "emergency vehicle"
25 shall mean a fire department vehicle, ambulance, river rescue
26 vehicle or similar vehicle that is operated for the benefit of
27 the public by the Commonwealth, a political subdivision,
28 charitable or nonprofit corporation, fire department or company,
29 ambulance squad or river rescue organization.
30 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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