HB 2582

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3471  PRINTER'S NO.   3649
                THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
                    HOUSE BILL
                    No. 2582
                                           Session of
                                             2026
INTRODUCED BY DOUGHERTY, GUENST, BRENNAN, D. WILLIAMS AND KUTZ,
   JUNE 1, 2026
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSE OF
   REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 22, 2026
                                AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2    Statutes, in general provisions, further providing for
3    definitions.; AND, IN GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO  <--
4    OPERATION OF VEHICLES, FURTHER PROVIDING FOR DRIVERS OF
5    EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
6    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8    Section 1.    The definition of "emergency vehicle" in section
9 102 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is
10 amended and the section is amended by adding a definition to
11 read:
12 § 102.   Definitions.
13    Subject to additional definitions contained in subsequent
14 provisions of this title which are applicable to specific
15 provisions of this title, the following words and phrases when
16 used in this title shall have, unless the context clearly
17 indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section:
18    * * *
19    "Emergency vehicle."     A State or county emergency management
1 vehicle, fire department vehicle, police vehicle, sheriff
2 vehicle, ambulance, advanced life support squad vehicle, basic
3 life support squad vehicle, emergency canteen support service
4 organization vehicle, blood delivery vehicle, human organ
5 delivery vehicle, hazardous material response vehicle, armed
6 forces emergency vehicle, one vehicle operated by a coroner or
7 chief county medical examiner and one vehicle operated by a
8 chief deputy coroner or deputy chief county medical examiner
9 used for answering emergency calls, a vehicle owned by or leased
10 to a regional emergency medical services council that is used as
11 authorized by the Department of Health to respond to an actual
12 or potential disaster, mass casualty situation or substantial
13 threat to public health, a vehicle owned by a county or regional
14 police association and operated by a police officer that is used
15 for police transport or victim extraction, a vehicle that is
16 owned and operated by a county correctional institution [in a      <--
17 city of the first class] and used to respond to an emergency at    <--
18 a correctional institution [in a city of the first class] or to    <--
19 escort an ambulance which is transporting sick or injured
20 prisoners [in a city of the first class], any vehicle operated     <--
21 by a special agent, special agent supervisor, narcotics agent or
22 narcotics agent supervisor while performing official duties as
23 employees of the Office of Attorney General, any vehicle owned
24 and operated by the Philadelphia Parking Authority established
25 in accordance with 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 55 (relating to parking
26 authorities) and used in the enforcement of 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 57
27 (relating to taxicabs and limousines in first class cities), a
28 vehicle owned by a city of the first class and operated by first
29 judicial district certified armed probation officers, a State
30 parole fugitive apprehension emergency vehicle, a vehicle owned
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1 and operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission that is
2 used by an emergency service responder as dispatched by the
3 Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's traffic operations center, or
4 any other vehicle designated by the State Police under section
5 6106 (relating to designation of emergency vehicles by
6 Pennsylvania State Police), or a privately owned vehicle used in
7 answering an emergency call when used by any of the following:
8(1)    A police chief and assistant chief.
9(2)    A fire chief, assistant chief and, when a fire
10    company has three or more fire vehicles, a second or third
11    assistant chief.
12(3)    A fire police captain and fire police lieutenant.
13(4)    An ambulance corps commander and assistant
14    commander.
15(5)    A river rescue commander and assistant commander.
16(6)    A county emergency management coordinator.
17(7)    A fire marshal.
18(8)    A rescue service chief and assistant chief.
19(9)    The chief or operations director of a county
20    hazardous materials response team.
21(10)     A police officer who is also a member of a county
22    or regional municipal special emergency response team which
23    is authorized to respond to emergencies under 42 Pa.C.S. §
24    8953 (relating to Statewide municipal police jurisdiction).
25    * * *
26    "State parole fugitive apprehension emergency vehicle."     A
27 motor vehicle operated by an agent, as defined in 61 Pa.C.S. §
28 6101 (relating to definitions), that is used to respond to an
29 emergency or an activity of law enforcement and meets the
30 following criteria:
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1(1)   The operator has completed an emergency vehicle
2    operator training course approved by the Department of
3    Corrections.
4(2)   The motor vehicle is:
5(i)    engaged in the apprehension of an absconder or
6escapee;
7(ii)    responding to a confirmed escape;
8(iii)    responding to an immediate threat to public
9safety; or
10(iv)    assisting a Federal, State or local law
11enforcement agency in this Commonwealth, including task
12force operations.
13(3)   The motor vehicle is in compliance with the written
14    emergency vehicle policy governing the use, supervision,
15    safety and reporting of State parole fugitive apprehension
16    emergency vehicles developed and implemented by the
17    Department of Corrections.
18    * * *
19    SECTION 2.  SECTION 3105(D.1) OF TITLE 75 IS AMENDED TO READ: <--
20 § 3105.    DRIVERS OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
21    * * *
22    (D.1)    VEHICLES OWNED AND OPERATED BY A COUNTY CORRECTIONAL
23 INSTITUTION [IN A CITY OF THE FIRST CLASS].--THE DRIVER OF A
24 VEHICLE THAT IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY A COUNTY CORRECTIONAL
25 INSTITUTION [IN A CITY OF THE FIRST CLASS] AND USED TO RESPOND
26 TO AN EMERGENCY AT A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION [IN A CITY OF THE
27 FIRST CLASS] OR TO ESCORT AN AMBULANCE WHICH IS TRANSPORTING A
28 SICK OR INJURED PRISONER [IN A CITY OF THE FIRST CLASS] SHALL
29 COMPLY WITH MAXIMUM SPEED LIMITS, RED SIGNAL INDICATIONS AND
30 STOP SIGNS. AFTER ASCERTAINING THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BE GIVEN
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1 THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, THE DRIVER MAY PROCEED THROUGH A RED SIGNAL
2 INDICATION OR STOP SIGN.
3    * * *
4    Section 2 3.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.        <--
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