SSB 1098 prohibits drivers and passengers from having open or unsealed containers of beverages containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the passenger area of vehicles on highways. This applies to both drivers and passengers (except in specific commercial vehicles or motor homes) and bans items like bottles or cans in seats, glove compartments, or accessible areas. Lawful THC beverages (under 0.3% THC, 4mg per serving, 10mg per container, with proper labeling) may be stored in the trunk or behind seats if no trunk exists. Violations are punishable as a simple misdemeanor with a $260 fine.
HF 40 mandates a 30-day driver's license revocation for Iowa drivers convicted of exceeding 100 miles per hour. It specifically requires immediate license seizure by peace officers when a driver is cited for 100+ mph speeding, with a temporary 10-day license issued pending formal revocation. The bill prohibits temporary restricted licenses during this 30-day revocation period and applies to first-time offenses of this speed violation. This change expands mandatory revocation to include high-speed offenses beyond existing provisions for reckless driving or drag racing.
HF 202 modifies Iowa's restricted driver's license rules for minors aged 14-18. It adds "attending religious worship services or participating in volunteer service programs at the licensee’s established place of religious worship" to the list of approved destinations for unsupervised driving. The bill maintains the existing 25-mile distance limit and requires driving during the hour before and after these activities. This change directly affects minors holding special minor’s restricted licenses who need to travel for religious purposes.
HF 506 standardizes penalties for drivers operating vehicles while their license or operating privileges are restricted (denied, canceled, suspended, revoked, or barred). It sets a fixed $250 fine for a first offense across all license restriction scenarios, replacing the previous $250-$1,500 range. Subsequent offenses are tiered: a second offense becomes a simple misdemeanor, and third or later offenses become serious misdemeanors. The bill also removes the current prohibition on suspending sentences for these violations. This affects anyone driving with an active license restriction under Iowa’s motor vehicle laws.
This bill modifies Iowa's rules for vehicles operating with permits for excessive size or weight. It expands all-systems permits to cover most primary/secondary roads and truck-route-designated roads (excluding interstates and locally designated "not valid" roads), while requiring local authorities to justify road restrictions and cooperate on alternate routes if needed. The bill increases the allowable weight variance for permitted vehicles from 12% to 12.5% above standard limits and changes registration fees for single-trip permits to $4 per ton over 40 tons. It also removes a requirement that international shipping containers must contain only raw forest products. This directly affects commercial truck drivers, local governments managing road access, and the Iowa Department of Transportation.
HF 3 prohibits local authorities in Iowa from contracting with third parties to collect fines for speeding violations detected by automated traffic enforcement systems (like speed cameras). It also prevents these unpaid fines from being treated as "qualifying debt" for setoff against tax refunds or other public payments under state law. The bill directly affects local governments using automated speed enforcement and vehicle owners who receive citations from these systems. Key provisions apply to all contracts entered after the bill's effective date and to all unpaid fines from such violations, regardless of when the ticket was issued. This changes how these specific civil penalties are handled, keeping collection within local authorities and preventing automatic deductions from state payments.
HF 162 requires employees of the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide a urine specimen for alcohol and drug testing within two hours after operating a state-owned vehicle in an accident causing injury or death. The bill applies specifically to DOT workers involved in such collisions while driving state vehicles, mandating testing under the same procedures used for standard DUI cases (Chapter 321J). Employees may pay for an independent test but cannot block the use of the initial test results, and failure to comply is a simple misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $855 fine. The bill does not apply if standard DUI testing already occurred under existing law.
HF 436 exempts purchases of child restraint systems (like car seats) from Iowa's sales and use tax, reducing costs for parents buying them. It also requires insurance companies to include the value of these systems in auto insurance settlements when a vehicle suffers partial or total damage. The bill defines "child restraint system" as federally compliant seats meeting safety standards (per 49 C.F.R. §571.213) and applies to auto losses occurring on or after July 1, 2025. This directly affects families purchasing child seats and insurers handling auto damage claims.
HF 485 exempts from Iowa's state sales and use tax the purchase price of adaptive driving equipment (like wheelchair lifts, hand controls, or specialized steering systems) and the installation services for these devices. It directly affects individuals with mobility impairments who rely on such equipment to drive or be transported safely. The bill specifies that the exemption applies only when the equipment is sold or installed in a vehicle primarily used by someone unable to drive or travel without it. This policy change removes a financial barrier for purchasing essential mobility modifications, as defined in the bill's detailed list of covered equipment types.
SF 384 requires railway companies to provide local governments with at least 30 days' notice before closing a railway crossing for repairs or upgrades, unless the closure is unexpected or an emergency. The notice must include an estimated completion date, and companies must update the government if the work extends beyond that date. This applies to all railway corporations operating in Iowa and directly affects local governments managing crossings. Violations carry a $100 penalty, aligning with existing fines for similar violations under current law.
