Pennsylvania Act 2014-140 — VEHICLE CODE (75 PA.C.S.) - REQUIREMENT FOR COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE

Act text

Session of 2014

No. 2014-140

HB 241

AN ACT

Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the definitions of "emergency vehicle" and "fire department vehicle"; and further providing for requirement for commercial driver's license.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The definitions of "emergency vehicle" and "fire department vehicle" in section 102 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

§ 102. Definitions.

Subject to additional definitions contained in subsequent provisions of this title which are applicable to specific provisions of this title, the following words and phrases when used in this title shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section:

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"Emergency vehicle." A State or county emergency management vehicle, fire department vehicle, police vehicle, sheriff vehicle, ambulance, advanced life support squad vehicle, basic life support squad vehicle, emergency canteen support service organization vehicle, blood delivery vehicle, human organ delivery vehicle, hazardous material response vehicle, armed forces emergency vehicle, one vehicle operated by a coroner or chief county medical examiner and one vehicle operated by a chief deputy coroner or deputy chief county medical examiner used for answering emergency calls, a vehicle owned by or leased to a regional emergency medical services council that is used as authorized by the Department of Health to respond to an actual or potential disaster, mass casualty situation or substantial threat to public health, a vehicle owned by a county or regional police association and operated by a police officer that is used for police transport or victim extraction, any vehicle operated by a special agent, special agent supervisor, narcotics agent or narcotics agent supervisor while performing official duties as employees of the Office of Attorney General, any vehicle owned and operated by the Philadelphia Parking Authority established in accordance with 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 55 (relating to parking authorities) and used in the enforcement of 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 57 (relating to taxicabs and limousines in first class cities), or any other vehicle designated by the State Police under section 6106 (relating to designation of emergency vehicles by Pennsylvania State Police), or a privately owned vehicle used in answering an emergency call when used by any of the following:

(1) A police chief and assistant chief.

(2) A fire chief, assistant chief and, when a fire company has three or more fire vehicles, a second or third assistant chief.

(3) A fire police captain and fire police lieutenant.

(4) An ambulance corps commander and assistant commander.

(5) A river rescue commander and assistant commander.

(6) A county emergency management coordinator.

(7) A fire marshal.

(8) A rescue service chief and assistant chief.

(9) The chief or operations director of a county hazardous materials response team.

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"Fire department vehicle." A vehicle :

(1) owned or leased by an organized paid or volunteer fire department ; or

(2) owned or leased by a fire relief association and utilized by an organized paid or volunteer fire department .

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Section 2. Section 1606(b)(7) of Title 75 is amended to read:

§ 1606. Requirement for commercial driver's license.

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(b) Exemptions.--The following persons are not required to obtain a commercial driver's license in order to drive the commercial motor vehicle specified:

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(7) An employee of the State emergency management agency or a county emergency management organization who is the holder of a Class C license and who has a certificate of authorization from the head of the State emergency management agency or a county emergency management organization while operating any emergency vehicle equipped with audible and visual signals registered to the Commonwealth, State emergency management agency, county or county emergency management organization.

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Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

APPROVED--The 14th day of October, A.D. 2014.

TOM CORBETT