An Act To Improve Officer Safety at Roadside Incidents
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0172
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: HARRINGTON, VOLK, BATTLE, CEBRA, COREY, GERRISH, ORDWAY, WARREN, COLLINS
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2054

Legislative Document
No. 172
H.P. 128
House of Representatives, January 19, 2017
An Act To Improve Officer Safety at Roadside Incidents
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative HARRINGTON of Sanford.
Cosponsored by Senator VOLK of Cumberland and
Representatives: BATTLE of South Portland, CEBRA of Naples, COREY of Windham, 
GERRISH of Lebanon, McLEAN of Gorham, ORDWAY of Standish, WARREN of 
Hallowell, Senator: COLLINS of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §2054, sub-§2, ¶D, as amended by PL 2005, c. 183, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
D.  Except as provided in this paragraph, a vehicle may not be equipped with or 
display a blue light. 
(1)  Emergency lights used on the following vehicles must emit a blue light or a 
combination of blue and white light: a police vehicle, except that a police vehicle 
may also use red emergency lights under paragraph F; a Department of 
Corrections vehicle as described in subsection 1, paragraph B, subparagraph (6); 
a vehicle operated by a chief of police, a sheriff or a deputy sheriff; and a vehicle 
operated by a qualified deputy sheriff or other qualified individual performing 
court security-related functions and services. 
(2)  Emergency lights used on an ambulance, an emergency medical service 
vehicle, a fire department vehicle or a hazardous material response vehicle may 
include one blue light mounted facing toward the rear of the vehicle so that the 
light is primarily visible to approaching traffic from the rear only. 
(3)  The taillight of a vehicle, or replica of a vehicle, manufactured prior to 1952 
and registered under section 457, may contain a blue or purple insert of not more 
than one inch in diameter. 
(4) Blue interior auxiliary lighting or dash lighting may be used on any vehicle if 
no portion of the beam of light is visible at a height of 42 inches above a surface 
parallel with the level surface on which the vehicle stands at a distance of 20 feet 
from any part of the vehicle. 
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §2054, sub-§2, ¶F, as amended by PL 2015, c. 31, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
F.  Only vehicles listed in this paragraph, rural mail vehicles as provided in paragraph 
C, subparagraph (5) and school buses may be equipped with, display or use a red 
auxiliary or emergency light. 
(1)  Emergency lights used on an ambulance, an emergency medical service 
vehicle, a fire department vehicle, a fire vehicle, a rescue vehicle or a hazardous 
material response vehicle must emit a red light or a combination of red and white 
light. 
(2)  The municipal officers or a municipal official designated by the municipal 
officers, with the approval of the fire chief, may authorize an active member of a 
municipal or volunteer fire department to use one red or combination red and 
white flashing auxiliary light mounted in the windshield or on the dashboard at 
the front of the vehicle or 2 flashing red or combination red and white auxiliary 
lights mounted on the front of the vehicle above the front bumper and below the 
hood and one red auxiliary light mounted in the rear window area.  The light or 
lights may be displayed but may be used only while the member is en route to or 
at the scene of a fire or other emergency.  A light mounted on the dashboard or in 
the windshield must be shielded so that the emitted light does not interfere with 
the operator's vision.  The use of lights may be revoked at any time by the fire 
chief. 
(3)  Members of an emergency medical service licensed by Maine Emergency 
Medical Services may display and use on a vehicle red or combination red and 
white flashing auxiliary lights and red auxiliary lights of the same proportion, in 
the same location and under the same conditions as those permitted municipal 
and volunteer firefighters, when authorized by the chief official of the emergency 
medical service. The use of lights may be revoked at any time by the chief 
official of the emergency medical service. 
(4)  A police vehicle may be equipped with, display and use red emergency 
lights.  The red emergency lights may comprise up to 50% of the emergency 
lights used on the police vehicle. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows police vehicles to use red emergency lights.  The red emergency 
lights may comprise up to 50% of the emergency lights used on the police vehicle.