GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

S                                                                                                                                                     1

SENATE BILL 365

Short Title:      School Buses/Allow Use of Blue Lights.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senators Wade, Ford (Primary Sponsors);  and Cook.
Referred to:	Rules and Operations of the Senate

March 27, 2017

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to authorize school buses to operate a blue light for certain purposes.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑4.01(27)d4. reads as rewritten:

"d4.     School bus. – A vehicle whose primary purpose is to transport school students over an established route to and from school for the regularly scheduled school day, that is equipped with alternately flashing red lights of a color authorized under G.S. 20‑130.1 on the front and rear and a mechanical stop signal, that is painted primarily yellow below the roofline, and that bears the plainly visible words "School Bus" on the front and rear. The term includes a public, private, or parochial vehicle that meets this description."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑130.1(c) reads as rewritten:

"(c)      It is unlawful for any person to possess a blue light or to install, activate, or operate a blue light in or on any vehicle in this State, except for (i) a school bus, (ii) a publicly owned vehicle used for law enforcement purposespurposes, or (iii) any other vehicle when used by law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties. A school bus shall only operate a blue light authorized under this subsection when transporting school students over an established route to and from school for the regularly scheduled school day. As used in this subsection, unless the context requires otherwise, "blue light" means any blue light installed on a vehicle after initial manufacture of the vehicle; or an operable blue light which:

…."

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.