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HB 4993

Relating to authorizing green flashing warning lights on Division of Highways vehicles, and other equipment at the discretion of the Commissioner of Highways.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Geno Chiarelli and 4 co-sponsors

West Virginia authorizes green flashing warning lights on highway division vehicles and grants the commissioner discretionary authority to add other unspecified safety equipment to state road maintenance vehicles.

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Bill Summary · HB 4993

Legislative bill overview

HB 4993 authorizes the West Virginia Division of Highways to equip their vehicles with green flashing warning lights and grants the Commissioner of Highways discretionary authority to add other equipment as deemed necessary. The bill streamlines the approval process by eliminating what may have been previous restrictions on these vehicle modifications.

Why is this important

Green flashing lights on highway maintenance and emergency response vehicles improve visibility and road safety by clearly distinguishing these vehicles from standard traffic. This change directly affects public safety during roadwork, accident response, and hazardous weather conditions when highway department personnel operate near active traffic lanes.

Potential points of contention

  • Light color standardization: Green flashing lights differ from traditional amber/yellow warnings used nationwide; concerns about driver confusion or inconsistency with federal guidelines may arise
  • Scope of "other equipment": The bill's broad language granting the Commissioner discretionary authority to add unspecified equipment lacks detailed oversight, potentially allowing unchecked expansion of vehicle modifications
  • Cost implications: The bill does not address funding for retrofitting existing vehicles with new lighting systems across the entire state highway fleet

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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