Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to court debt resulting from a violation of a law regulating the operation of a motor vehicle
Sponsored by Rep. Rob Johnson (D)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedMarch 7, 2025
- Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by February 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
Under current law, the department of transportation (DOT) is required to suspend the driver’s license of a person who, upon conviction of violating a law regulating the operation of a motor vehicle, has failed to timely pay the criminal fine, penalty, surcharge, or court costs. The clerk of the district court must mail notice to a person who has failed to pay the required court debts and provide days for the person to make the payment. If payment is not received, the clerk of the district court must notify the DOT to initiate the suspension.
Read the full explanation
If after suspension, the person enters into an installment agreement to pay the court debts, the person’s license must be reinstated by the DOT. However, the person’s license may be suspended again if the person is convicted of an additional violation of a law regulating the operation of a motor vehicle, or if the person defaults on the installment agreement.210A which provides for the suspension of a driver’s license for failure to pay a fine, penalty, surcharge, or court costs.210B (installment agreements) to only court debt resulting from a violation under Code chapter 321 or 321J relating to the operation of a motor vehicle and requires an installment agreement to be based on the person’s income and ability to pay. In addition, the bill authorizes a person to perform community service work of an equivalent value to the delinquent amount in lieu of paying the delinquent amount.189. The bill requires the clerk of the district court to charge off the remaining balance of any delinquent criminal fine or penalty, surcharge, or court costs owed by a person resulting from a violation of a law regulating the operation of a motor vehicle. Upon charging off the delinquent amount, the criminal fine or penalty, surcharge, and court costs will be considered paid in full. The charge-off provision applies only to such a criminal fine or penalty, surcharge, or court costs deemed delinquent on or before the effective date of the bill. The bill does not affect the DOT’s ability to act against a person’s driver’s license for reasons other than nonpayment of court debt.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
Iowa Code it changes
Amends§321.12§321.210B§321.212§321.215§321.218§321A.17§321J.17§331.756§602.8102
Repeals§321.210A
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works