SB 117 West Virginia Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Exempting certain physicians from specified traffic laws when responding to emergencies

SB 117 would allow licensed physicians in West Virginia to operate Class A vehicles (such as large medical transport vehicles) with red flashing warning lights and be exempt from specific traffic laws, like speed limits and traffic signals, when responding to medical emergencies. Physicians must be designated by the West Virginia Board of Medicine or Board of Osteopathic Medicine to participate in a new "Physician’s Authorized Emergency Vehicle Program." The medical boards would propose detailed rules for the program, requiring legislative approval before implementation. This change would extend existing emergency vehicle privileges - currently limited to ambulances, fire trucks, and other designated emergency vehicles - to physicians during medical emergencies.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare ✓ Transportation

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 12, 2025 Last action Mar 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version → Committee Substitute · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was substantially rewritten and expanded from its original version. The original bill only exempted physicians from certain traffic laws when responding to emergencies. The committee substitute significantly broadens the scope by establishing a formal 'Physician's Authorized Emergency Vehicle Program' that allows physicians to operate large Class A vehicles (like ambulances) as authorized emergency vehicles, not just smaller vehicles. The new version adds detailed rulemaking requirements, defines key terms, establishes a formal authorization process with fees, and specifies usage rules for lights and sirens.

Scope change

Expanded from exempting physicians from traffic laws for any vehicle to formally authorizing physicians to operate Class A vehicles as emergency vehicles under a regulated program.

SCOPE

Added authority for physicians to operate Class A vehicles (large vehicles like ambulances) as authorized emergency vehicles, not just any vehicle.

REQUIREMENT

Established a formal program with application/renewal requirements, authorization cards valid for maximum five years, and mandatory presentation of authorization upon request.

Added specific requirements for rulemaking including eligibility criteria, equipment specifications (bell, siren, red lights), and usage rules for lights and sirens.

Added requirement that authorization forms must inform physicians they must still drive with due regard for safety and are not protected from reckless driving consequences.

Added specific rule that audible signals and red lights may only be used when responding to an emergency, not when returning from it.

DEFINITION

Added formal definitions for 'Authorization', 'Authorized emergency vehicle', 'Class A vehicle', 'Physician', and 'Program'.

ENFORCEMENT

Added administrative penalties for violations and established fee structure for program administration.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 7, 2025

How they voted

33–0

Passed

Total votes 33

Mar 7, 2025

D Democratic2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican31

31 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 10, 2025

Committee

To House Judiciary

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Committee

To Judiciary

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate (Roll No. 72)

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee substitute reported

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in Senate

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors