PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 110 PRINTER'S NO. 717
No. 8 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY DENT, WONDERLING, MADIGAN, HELFRICK, LEMMOND, CORMAN, TOMLINSON, WENGER, RAFFERTY, THOMPSON, COSTA, KITCHEN AND C. WILLIAMS, FEBRUARY 3, 2003
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, APRIL 21, 2003
AN ACT 1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated 2 Statutes, further DEFINING "EMERGENCY VEHICLE"; AND FURTHER <-- 3 providing for chemical testing to determine amount of alcohol 4 or controlled substance and, for driving under the influence <-- 5 of alcohol or controlled substances, FOR VISUAL AND AUDIBLE <-- 6 SIGNALS ON EMERGENCY VEHICLES, FOR THE CHILD PASSENGER 7 RESTRAINT FUND AND FOR CIVIL IMMUNITY FOR LENDERS OF CHILD 8 PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEMS. 9 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 10 hereby enacts as follows: 11 Section 1. Sections 1547(d) and 3731(a) and (a.1) of Title <-- 12 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to 13 read: 14 SECTION 1. THE DEFINITION OF "EMERGENCY VEHICLE" IN SECTION <-- 15 102 OF TITLE 75 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED STATUTES IS 16 AMENDED TO READ: 17 § 102. DEFINITIONS. 18 SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS CONTAINED IN SUBSEQUENT 19 PROVISIONS OF THIS TITLE WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO SPECIFIC 20 PROVISIONS OF THIS TITLE, THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES WHEN
1 USED IN THIS TITLE SHALL HAVE, UNLESS THE CONTEXT CLEARLY 2 INDICATES OTHERWISE, THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SECTION: 3 * * * 4 "EMERGENCY VEHICLE." A FIRE DEPARTMENT VEHICLE, POLICE 5 VEHICLE, SHERIFF VEHICLE, AMBULANCE, BLOOD DELIVERY VEHICLE, 6 HUMAN ORGAN DELIVERY VEHICLE, HAZARDOUS MATERIAL RESPONSE 7 VEHICLE, ARMED FORCES EMERGENCY VEHICLE, ONE VEHICLE OPERATED BY 8 A CORONER OR CHIEF COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER AND ONE VEHICLE 9 OPERATED BY A CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER OR DEPUTY CHIEF COUNTY 10 MEDICAL EXAMINER USED FOR ANSWERING EMERGENCY CALLS, OR ANY 11 OTHER VEHICLE DESIGNATED BY THE STATE POLICE UNDER SECTION 6106 12 (RELATING TO DESIGNATION OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES BY PENNSYLVANIA 13 STATE POLICE), OR A PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE USED IN ANSWERING AN 14 EMERGENCY CALL WHEN USED BY ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: 15 (1) A POLICE CHIEF AND ASSISTANT CHIEF. 16 (2) A FIRE CHIEF, ASSISTANT CHIEF AND, WHEN A FIRE 17 COMPANY HAS THREE OR MORE FIRE VEHICLES, A SECOND OR THIRD 18 ASSISTANT CHIEF. 19 (3) A FIRE POLICE CAPTAIN AND FIRE POLICE LIEUTENANT. 20 (4) AN AMBULANCE CORPS COMMANDER AND ASSISTANT 21 COMMANDER. 22 (5) A RIVER RESCUE COMMANDER AND ASSISTANT COMMANDER. 23 (6) A COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR. 24 (7) A FIRE MARSHAL. 25 (8) A RESCUE SERVICE CHIEF AND ASSISTANT CHIEF. 26 (9) A HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TEAM CHIEF AND ASSISTANT 27 CHIEF. 28 * * * 29 SECTION 2. SECTIONS 1547(D), 3731(A) AND (A.1), 4571(B) 30 HEADING AND (1), 4582 AND 4586 OF TITLE 75 ARE AMENDED TO READ: 20030S0008B0717 - 2 -
1 § 1547. Chemical testing to determine amount of alcohol or 2 controlled substance. 3 * * * 4 (d) Presumptions from amount of alcohol.--If chemical 5 testing of a person's breath, blood or urine shows: 6 (1) That the amount of alcohol by weight in the blood of 7 an adult is 0.05% or less, it shall be presumed that the 8 adult was not under the influence of alcohol and the adult 9 shall not be charged with any violation under section 10 3731(a)(1), (4) or (5) (relating to driving under influence 11 of alcohol or controlled substance), or, if the adult was so 12 charged prior to the test, the charge shall be void ab 13 initio. This fact shall not give rise to any presumption 14 concerning a violation of section 3731(a)(2) or (3) or (i). 15 (2) That the amount of alcohol by weight in the blood of 16 an adult is in excess of 0.05% but less than [0.10%] 0.08%, 17 this fact shall not give rise to any presumption that the 18 adult was or was not under the influence of alcohol, but this 19 fact may be considered with other competent evidence in 20 determining whether the adult was or was not under the 21 influence of alcohol. This provision shall not negate the 22 provisions of section 3731(i). 23 (3) That the amount of alcohol by weight in the blood 24 of: 25 (i) an adult is [0.10%] 0.08% or more; or 26 (ii) a minor is 0.02% or more, 27 this fact may be introduced into evidence if the person is 28 charged with violating section 3731. 29 * * * 30 § 3731. Driving under influence of alcohol or controlled 20030S0008B0717 - 3 -
1 substance. 2 (a) Offense defined.--A person shall not drive, operate or 3 be in actual physical control of the movement of a vehicle in 4 any of the following circumstances: 5 (1) While under the influence of alcohol to a degree 6 which renders the person incapable of safe driving. 7 (2) While under the influence of any controlled 8 substance, as defined in the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, 9 No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and 10 Cosmetic Act, to a degree which renders the person incapable 11 of safe driving. 12 (3) While under the combined influence of alcohol and 13 any controlled substance to a degree which renders the person 14 incapable of safe driving. 15 (4) While the amount of alcohol by weight in the blood 16 of: 17 (i) an adult is [0.10%] 0.08% or greater; or 18 (ii) a minor is 0.02% or greater. 19 (a.1) Prima facie evidence.-- 20 (1) It is prima facie evidence that: 21 (i) an adult had [0.10%] 0.08% or more by weight of 22 alcohol in his or her blood at the time of driving, 23 operating or being in actual physical control of the 24 movement of any vehicle if the amount of alcohol by 25 weight in the blood of the person is equal to or greater 26 than [0.10%] 0.08% at the time a chemical test is 27 performed on a sample of the person's breath, blood or 28 urine; 29 (ii) a minor had 0.02% or more by weight of alcohol 30 in his or her blood at the time of driving, operating or 20030S0008B0717 - 4 -
1 being in actual physical control of the movement of any 2 vehicle if the amount of alcohol by weight in the blood 3 of the minor is equal to or greater than 0.02% at the 4 time a chemical test is performed on a sample of the 5 person's breath, blood or urine; and 6 (iii) a person operating a commercial vehicle had 7 0.04% or more by weight of alcohol in his or her blood at 8 the time of driving, operating or being in actual 9 physical control of the movement of the commercial 10 vehicle if the amount of alcohol by weight in the blood 11 of a person operating a commercial vehicle is equal to or 12 greater than 0.04% at the time a chemical test is 13 performed on a sample of the person's breath, blood or 14 urine. 15 (2) For the purposes of this section, the chemical test 16 of the sample of the person's breath, blood or urine shall be 17 from a sample obtained within three hours after the person 18 drove, operated or was in actual physical control of the 19 vehicle. 20 * * * 21 § 4571. VISUAL AND AUDIBLE SIGNALS ON EMERGENCY VEHICLES. <-- 22 * * * 23 (B) POLICE, SHERIFF, FIRE AND CORONER [OR], MEDICAL EXAMINER 24 OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE VEHICLES.-- 25 (1) POLICE, SHERIFF, CORONER, MEDICAL EXAMINER [OR], 26 FIRE POLICE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE VEHICLES MAY IN 27 ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBSECTION (A) BE EQUIPPED 28 WITH ONE OR MORE REVOLVING OR FLASHING BLUE LIGHTS. THE 29 COMBINATION OF RED AND BLUE LIGHTS MAY BE USED ONLY ON 30 POLICE, SHERIFF, CORONER, MEDICAL EXAMINER [OR], FIRE POLICE 20030S0008B0717 - 5 -
1 OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE VEHICLES. 2 * * * 3 § 4582. CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINT FUND. 4 A CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINT FUND IS ESTABLISHED IN THE 5 GENERAL FUND AS A SPECIAL RESTRICTED RECEIPTS ACCOUNT HEREBY 6 EARMARKED FOR AND APPROPRIATED TO THE DEPARTMENT. THIS FUND 7 SHALL CONSIST OF ALL FINES DEPOSITED PURSUANT TO SECTION 4581(B) 8 (RELATING TO RESTRAINT SYSTEMS), ALL FEDERAL FUNDS GRANTED FOR 9 SAID USE AND ANY MONEYS DONATED INTO THE FUND. ALL SUCH FUNDS 10 SHALL BE USED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF PURCHASING FEDERALLY 11 APPROVED CHILD RESTRAINT SEATS AND CHILD BOOSTER SEATS AND 12 MAKING SUCH SEATS AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED LOANER PROGRAMS WITHIN 13 THE COMMONWEALTH. A QUALIFIED LOANER PROGRAM SHALL BE ONE 14 DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO LOAN FEDERALLY APPROVED CHILD 15 RESTRAINT SEATS AND CHILD BOOSTER SEATS TO PARENTS OR LEGAL 16 GUARDIANS OF CHILDREN UNDER [FOUR] EIGHT YEARS OF AGE WHO, DUE 17 TO FINANCIAL OR ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, ARE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE 18 PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBCHAPTER. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT SUCH 19 REGULATIONS AS ARE NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSE OF THIS 20 SECTION. 21 § 4586. CIVIL IMMUNITY FOR LENDERS OF CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINT 22 SYSTEMS. 23 NO PERSON OR ORGANIZATION WHO OR WHICH LENDS TO ANOTHER 24 PERSON OR ORGANIZATION A CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM OR 25 CHILD BOOSTER SEAT, AS [DESCRIBED] DEFINED IN SECTION 4581 26 (RELATING TO RESTRAINT SYSTEMS), SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY CIVIL 27 DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY ACTS OR OMISSION, EXCEPT ANY ACT OR 28 OMISSION INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED TO HARM, OR ANY GROSSLY 29 NEGLIGENT ACT OR OMISSION RESULTING IN HARM TO ANOTHER. 30 Section 2 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days SEPTEMBER <-- 20030S0008B0717 - 6 -
1 30, 2003. A2L75MSP/20030S0008B0717 - 7 -