Concerning speed-related driving violations, providing penalties, making penalties applicable, and including applicability provisions

This bill concerns speed-related driving violations. Under current law, the department of transportation (DOT) must revoke the driver’s license of a person who is convicted of certain crimes involving a motor vehicle. Upon revoking a driver’s license, the DOT is prohibited from granting an application for a new license until the expiration of one year after the revocation, unless another period is specified by law.191, including a $20 reinstatement fee. The bill requires the DOT to revoke the driver’s license of a person who is convicted of exceeding a speed limit with a detected speed of 100 miles per hour (MPH) or more. 215. The bill authorizes a peace officer, on behalf of the DOT, to serve immediate notice of intention to revoke and of revocation on a person cited for exceeding a speed limit with a detected speed of 100 MPH or more. If the peace officer serves immediate notice, the peace officer is required to take the Iowa driver’s license of the person and issue a temporary license effective for 10 days. The peace officer must immediately send the person’s license to the DOT along with the officer’s certificate indicating the person’s detected excessive speed.9).13 (hearing on revocation —— appeal). The DOT is required to adopt administrative rules to administer the mandatory license revocation provisions of the bill.209 to reduce duplication. When used in Code chapter 321 (motor vehicles and law of the road), “conviction” is defined to mean a final conviction, including but not limited to a plea of guilty or nolo contendere accepted by the court, a final administrative ruling or determination, or an unvacated forfeiture of bail or collateral deposited to secure a person’s appearance in court.277. A person convicted for reckless driving commits a simple misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than 30 days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855. The bill provides that exceeding the speed limit by 25 MPH or more is reckless driving.6A —— homicide or serious injury by vehicle).6A also applies if a person, other than a member of a public safety agency, exceeds the posted speed limit by 25 MPH or more and unintentionally causes death or serious injury, if the speeding violation is the proximate cause of the death or injury. A class “C” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than 10 years and a fine of at least $1,370 but not more than $13,660. A class “D” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least $1,025 but not more than $10,245.288 requires a person operating a motor vehicle to control the vehicle at all times and reduce the speed of the vehicle to a reasonable and proper rate when approaching a pedestrian walking or an animal being led, ridden, or driven on a highway; when approaching and traversing a crossing, intersection, sharp turn, curve, or steep descent on a highway; when approaching and passing an emergency warning device, emergency vehicle displaying revolving or flashing lights, or slow-moving vehicle displaying reflective devices; and when approaching and passing through a work zone.288 is $135.482A sets forth additional penalties applicable when a person is convicted of operating a motor vehicle in violation of certain Code sections in Code chapter 321 (motor vehicles and law of the road) if such violation causes serious injury to or the death of another person.482A. When a person is convicted of a violation causing serious injury, the additional penalties include a fine of $500 or suspension of the violator’s driver’s license or operating privileges for not more than 90 days, or both. When a person is convicted of a violation causing death, the additional penalties include a fine of $1,000 or suspension of the violator’s driver’s license or operating privileges for not more than 180 days, or both.36 (state parks and preserves), commits a simple misdemeanor punishable by a scheduled fine that varies depending on the excessive speed. The fine ranges from $30 for a speed in excess of the limit by not more than 5 MPH to $135 plus $5 for each MPH of excessive speed over 20 MPH over the limit. The bill increases the scheduled fine for excessive speed over 20 MPH over the limit to $285 plus $5 for each MPH of excessive speed over 20 MPH over the limit. The bill applies on and after March 1, 2027, or the publication date of the issue of the Iowa administrative bulletin that includes a statement by the director of transportation that the applicable phase of the DOT’s new records system is implemented, whichever is earlier. The DOT is also required to forward a copy of the statement to the Iowa Code editor.