House File 2302 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  R. OLSON


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to enforcement of requirements for illumination
  2    of motor vehicle registration plates.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 6008HH 82
  5 dea/nh/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 321.388, Code 2007, is amended to read
  1  2 as follows:
  1  3    321.388  ILLUMINATING PLATES.
  1  4    Either the rear lamp or a separate lamp shall be so
  1  5 constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the
  1  6 rear registration plate and render it clearly legible from a
  1  7 distance of fifty feet to the rear.  When the rear
  1  8 registration plate is illuminated by an electric lamp other
  1  9 than the required rear lamp, the two lamps shall be turned on
  1 10 or off only by the same control switch at all times when head
  1 11 lamps are lighted.  Notwithstanding any other provision of
  1 12 law, a peace officer shall not stop a motor vehicle operator
  1 13 based solely on an alleged violation of this section.
  1 14                           EXPLANATION
  1 15    This bill prohibits a peace officer from stopping a motor
  1 16 vehicle operator for not having a properly illuminated rear
  1 17 license plate unless the operator is being stopped for another
  1 18 type of violation as well.  Current law requires that the rear
  1 19 registration plate must be illuminated by a white light that
  1 20 renders it clearly legible from a distance of 50 feet.  The
  1 21 penalty for a violation of the lighting requirements is a
  1 22 scheduled fine of $10.
  1 23 LSB 6008HH 82
  1 24 dea/nh/8