House File 535 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY DAVITT
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act extending the deadline for driver's license renewal for
2 peace corps volunteers.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 1045YH 81
5 dea/sh/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 321.197 PEACE CORPS SERVICE
1 2 EXCEPTION.
1 3 1. The effective date of a valid driver's license issued
1 4 in this state, held by a person at the beginning of the
1 5 person's period of service as a volunteer in the federal peace
1 6 corps program established in 22 U.S.C. } 2501=2523,
1 7 notwithstanding the expiration of the license according to its
1 8 terms, shall be extended without fee until six months
1 9 following the date of the person's termination of service as a
1 10 volunteer in the peace corps, provided the person is not
1 11 suffering from physical disabilities which impair the person's
1 12 competency as an operator and provided further that the
1 13 licensee shall furnish a description of service document upon
1 14 demand of any peace officer. However, a person entitled to
1 15 the benefits of this section who is charged with operating a
1 16 motor vehicle without a driver's license shall not be
1 17 convicted if the person produces in court, within a reasonable
1 18 time, a valid driver's license previously issued to that
1 19 person along with the person's description of service
1 20 document.
1 21 2. The department is authorized to renew any driver's
1 22 license falling within the provisions and limitations of
1 23 subsection 1 without examination, upon application and payment
1 24 of fee made within six months following the person's
1 25 termination of service as a peace corps volunteer.
1 26 3. A person whose period of license validity is extended
1 27 under this section may file an application in accordance with
1 28 rules adopted by the department to have the person's record of
1 29 issuance of a driver's license retained in the department's
1 30 record system during the period for which the driver's license
1 31 remains valid. If the record of issuance of the person's
1 32 driver's license has been removed from the department's
1 33 records, the department shall reenter the person's record of
1 34 driver's license issuance upon request of the person if the
1 35 request is accompanied by the person's description of service
2 1 document.
2 2 4. As used in this section, "description of service
2 3 document" means the official written statement issued by the
2 4 peace corps, or an official copy of the statement, which
2 5 describes a person's peace corps service and includes the
2 6 dates of such service. The department may, in its discretion,
2 7 accept other evidence of a person's dates of service provided
2 8 by the peace corps office of return volunteer services in lieu
2 9 of the description of service document.
2 10 EXPLANATION
2 11 This bill extends to peace corps volunteers the same
2 12 exception to regulations for renewal of a driver's license
2 13 which currently applies to persons in military service.
2 14 The bill provides that a person who serves as a peace corps
2 15 volunteer is entitled to an extension on the expiration of a
2 16 driver's license, without fee, for six months after
2 17 termination from the peace corps, provided the person is
2 18 physically qualified to drive. The person is required to
2 19 furnish an official description of service document issued by
2 20 the peace corps, or an official copy, if requested by a peace
2 21 officer, and may not be convicted of operating a motor vehicle
2 22 without a driver's license if the description of service
2 23 document is produced for the court within a reasonable time.
2 24 The driver's license of a peace corps volunteer shall be
2 25 renewed within the prescribed period of time without
2 26 examination upon application and payment of required fees.
2 27 The person may request that the state department of
2 28 transportation retain a record of issuance of a driver's
2 29 license to the person during the extended period of validity.
2 30 If the department has removed the record of issuance, the
2 31 person may request that the record be reentered, upon
2 32 presentation of a description of service document. The state
2 33 department of transportation has the discretion to accept
2 34 other evidence of peace corps service issued by the peace
2 35 corps office of return volunteer services in lieu of the
3 1 official description of service.
3 2 LSB 1045YH 81
3 3 dea:nh/sh/8.1