Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
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                 2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 354
    July 17, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives CALLAHAN, BEHNKE, BODDEN,
         DONOVAN, GREEN, EDMING, HURD, S. JOHNSON, MURSAU, NOVAK, OLDENBURG,
         PLUMER, SAPIK, DOYLE, RATCLIFF, SHANKLAND and SUBECK, cosponsored by
         Senators TOMCZYK, BALLWEG, MARKLEIN, NASS, QUINN, TESTIN, WANGGAARD,
         PFAFF and SPREITZER. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
1   AN ACT to renumber and amend 347.26 (9); to amend 346.072 (1g) (d); and to
2        create 347.26 (9) (a) 3. and 347.26 (9) (b) of the statutes; relating to: warning
3        lights on public utility, telecommunications carrier, or cooperative vehicles.
                     Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
         Under current law, vehicles of a public utility, telecommunications carrier, or
    cooperative organized for the purpose of producing or furnishing heat, light, power,
    or water to its members may be equipped with a flashing amber lamp of the dome
    type or with two flashing amber lamps, one showing to the front and one showing to
    the rear. Under this bill, such vehicles may be equipped with any of the following
    configurations of flashing amber or green lamps: 1) a lamp of the dome-light type,
    2) two lamps, one showing to the front and one showing to the rear, or 3) four lamps,
    two showing to the front and two showing to the rear. Green warning lamps,
    however, may only be used when the vehicle is operated for the purpose of restoration
    of utility service outside of the normal parameters of general maintenance or
    construction.
    The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
        enact as follows:
4        SECTION 1. 346.072 (1g) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:
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     ASSEMBLY BILL 354                                                            SECTION 1
 1        346.072 (1g) (d) Any vehicle of a public utility, telecommunications carrier, or
 2   cooperative association described in s. 347.26 (9) displaying one or more flashing
 3   amber or green lamps as provided in s. 347.26 (9).
 4        SECTION 2. 347.26 (9) of the statutes is renumbered 347.26 (9) (a) (intro.) and
 5   amended to read:
 6        347.26 (9) (a) (intro.) Any Subject to par. (b), any vehicle of a public utility, as
 7   defined in s. 196.01 (5), of a telecommunications carrier, as defined in s. 196.01 (8m),
 8   or of a cooperative association organized under ch. 185 for the purpose of producing
 9   or furnishing heat, light, power, or water to its members, which that by reason of its
10   use upon a highway creates a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of
11   unusual care in approaching, overtaking, or passing may be equipped with a any
12   of the following configurations of flashing amber lamp or green lamps:
13        1. A lamp of the dome dome-light type or with 2 flashing amber.
14        2. Two lamps, one showing to the front and one showing to the rear. Such The
15   lamps shall be mounted approximately midway between the extremities of the width
16   of the vehicle and at the highest practicable point and shall be used only for the
17   purpose of warning operators of other vehicles of the presence of the traffic hazard.
18   Should such vehicle be of a type so as to make impractical If the mounting of such
19   lamps midway between the extremities of the width of the vehicle is impracticable
20   because of the vehicle's design, then such the mountings shall be made at or near the
21   upper left front and rear corners of such the vehicle.
22        SECTION 3. 347.26 (9) (a) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
23        347.26 (9) (a) 3. Four lamps, 2 showing to the front and 2 showing to the rear.
24   The lamps showing to the front shall be mounted at the same level and as widely
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     ASSEMBLY BILL 354                                                          SECTION 3
 1   spaced laterally as practicable. The lamps showing to the rear shall be mounted at
 2   the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable.
 3        SECTION 4. 347.26 (9) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
 4        347.26 (9) (b) In this paragraph, “maintenance and restoration of utility
 5   service” means the immediate restoration of a utility service that is outside the
 6   normal parameters of general maintenance or construction when damage or
 7   interruption of service has been caused to utility infrastructure by adverse weather
 8   or other events and that requires utility crews to park utility vehicles in the roadway
 9   or on the shoulder of the roadway. No person may use flashing green lamps under
10   par. (a) unless the vehicle upon which the lamps are mounted is operated for the
11   purpose of maintenance and restoration of utility service.
12                                         (END)
Statutes affected: 
Bill Text: 346.072(1g)(d), 346.072