[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 564 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 564

  To improve traffic safety by discouraging the use of traffic signal 
                        preemption transmitters.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 8, 2005

 Mr. DeWine (for himself and Mr. Rockefeller) introduced the following 
    bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To improve traffic safety by discouraging the use of traffic signal 
                        preemption transmitters.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Safe Intersections Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. SAFE INTERSECTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 2 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 39. Traffic signal preemption transmitters
    ``(a) Offenses.--
            ``(1) Sale.--A person who knowingly sells a traffic signal 
        preemption transmitter in or affecting interstate or foreign 
        commerce to a person who is not acting on behalf of a public 
        agency or private corporation authorized by law to provide fire 
        protection, law enforcement, emergency medical services, 
        transit services, maintenance, or other services for a Federal, 
        State, or local government entity, shall, notwithstanding 
        section 3571(b) of title 18, United States Code, be fined not 
        more than $10,000, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
            ``(2) Use.--A person who makes unauthorized use of a 
        traffic signal preemption transmitter in or affecting 
        interstate or foreign commerce shall be fined not more than 
        $10,000, imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) Traffic signal preemption transmitter.--The term 
        `traffic signal preemption transmitter' means any mechanism 
        that can change or alter a traffic signal's phase time or 
        sequence.
            ``(2) Unauthorized use.--The term `unauthorized use' means 
        use of a traffic signal preemption transmitter by a person who 
        is not acting on behalf of a public agency or private 
        corporation authorized by law to provide fire protection, law 
        enforcement, emergency medical services, transit services, 
        maintenance, or other services for a Federal, State, or local 
        government entity. The term `unauthorized use' does not apply 
        to use of a traffic signal preemption transmitter for classroom 
        or instructional purposes.''.
    (b) Chapter Analysis.--The chapter analysis for chapter 2 of title 
18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``39. Traffic signal preemption transmitters.''.
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