2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
December 26, 2023 - Introduced by Senators Tomczyk, Ballweg, Carpenter,
Cowles, Felzkowski and Spreitzer, cosponsored by Representatives Snyder,
Edming, C. Anderson, Gundrum, Moses, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman,
Sinicki and Subeck. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Local
Government.
SB840,1,5 1An Act to renumber and amend 347.385 (1m) (b) and 347.385 (1m) (c); to
2amend
347.385 (title), 347.385 (2m), 347.385 (5) (a) and 347.385 (5) (b); and to
3create
347.385 (1m) (d), 347.385 (1m) (e), 347.385 (1m) (g), 347.385 (2r) and
4347.385 (6) of the statutes; relating to: traffic control signal priority devices
5for snow removal vehicles.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill authorizes snow removal vehicles to be equipped with lamps or other
transmitters to communicate with traffic control signals equipped with traffic
control signal priority devices. These devices allow the operator of the vehicle to
request that a green signal be provided or maintained to allow the vehicle to proceed
through the intersection.
Under current law, authorized emergency vehicles may be equipped with lamps
or other transmitters to communicate with traffic control signals equipped with
emergency preemption devices, which allow the operator of the vehicle to alter the
normal traffic control sequence to provide or maintain a green signal to allow the
vehicle to proceed through the intersection.
The bill provides that the authority responsible for maintenance of a traffic
control signal may establish procedures for resolving conflicts between multiple
requests for signal preemption or priority at a traffic signal, except that a signal
preemption request from an emergency vehicle must be given priority over any
signal priority request.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB840,1 1Section 1. 347.385 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB840,2,3 2347.385 (title) Auxiliary lamps on emergency vehicles; traffic Traffic
3control signal
emergency preemption and priority devices.
SB840,2 4Section 2. 347.385 (1m) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 347.385 (1m) (f) and
5amended to read:
SB840,2,106 347.385 (1m) (f) “Emergency Traffic control signal preemption device" means
7a device, located on or within a traffic control signal, that is designed to receive an
8electronic, radio, light, or sound transmission from an approaching vehicle that
9alters the normal sequence of the traffic control signal to provide or maintain a green
10signal for the vehicle to proceed through the intersection.
SB840,3 11Section 3. 347.385 (1m) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 347.385 (1m) (i) and
12amended to read:
SB840,2,1513 347.385 (1m) (i) “Transmitter" means a device that emits a signal for the
14purpose of activating an emergency a traffic control signal preemption device or a
15traffic control signal priority device
.
SB840,4 16Section 4. 347.385 (1m) (d) of the statutes is created to read:
SB840,2,1717 347.385 (1m) (d) “Political subdivision” means a county, city, village, or town.
SB840,5 18Section 5. 347.385 (1m) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
SB840,3,219 347.385 (1m) (e) “Snow removal vehicle” means any vehicle equipped with a
20snowplow or anti-icing equipment that is used by a political subdivision for snow

1removal and is operated by a political subdivision or the agent or lessee of a political
2subdivision.
SB840,6 3Section 6. 347.385 (1m) (g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB840,3,74 347.385 (1m) (g) “Traffic control signal priority device" means a device, located
5on or within a traffic control signal, that is designed to receive an electronic, radio,
6light, or sound transmission from an approaching vehicle to request that a green
7signal be provided or maintained for the vehicle to proceed through the intersection.
SB840,7 8Section 7. 347.385 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB840,3,119 347.385 (2m) An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped and operated
10with lamps designed and used, or with any other transmitter designed and used, to
11activate emergency traffic control signal preemption devices.
SB840,8 12Section 8. 347.385 (2r) of the statutes is created to read:
SB840,3,1613 347.385 (2r) A snow removal vehicle equipped with oscillating, rotating, or
14flashing lights that is actively engaged in snow removal activities may be equipped
15and operated with lamps designed and used, or with any other transmitter designed
16and used, to activate traffic control signal priority devices.
SB840,9 17Section 9. 347.385 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB840,3,2318 347.385 (5) (a) No person may operate upon a highway a motor vehicle, other
19than an authorized emergency vehicle or snow removal vehicle, that is equipped with
20a transmitter or in which a transmitter is located. This subsection does not apply to
21a motor carrier or person in the business of selling transmitters to authorized users
22who transports a transmitter in original, unopened packaging or in an inoperative
23condition in an enclosed storage compartment of the vehicle.
SB840,10 24Section 10. 347.385 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB840,4,2
1347.385 (5) (b) No person may sell a transmitter except for use for authorized
2purposes as described in sub. (2m) or (2r).
SB840,11 3Section 11. 347.385 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
SB840,4,84 347.385 (6) The authority responsible for maintenance of a traffic control
5signal may establish procedures for resolving conflicts between multiple requests for
6signal preemption or priority at a traffic signal, except that a signal preemption
7request from an authorized emergency vehicle must be given priority over any signal
8priority request.
SB840,4,99 (End)
Loading...
Loading...