House File 717 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

                                       (SUCCESSOR TO HF 62)


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

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act prohibiting the unauthorized sale, ownership, possession,
  2    or use of traffic signal preemption devices and providing a
  3    penalty.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  5 TLSB 1425HV 81
  6 dea/gg/14

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 321.260, Code 2005, is amended by
  1  2 adding the following new subsection:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  3.  a.  A person shall not sell, own,
  1  4 possess, or use a traffic signal preemption device except as
  1  5 permitted in connection with the lawful operation of an
  1  6 authorized emergency vehicle as defined in section 321.1 or as
  1  7 otherwise authorized by the jurisdiction owning and operating
  1  8 an official traffic control signal.  A person who is convicted
  1  9 of the unauthorized sale, ownership, possession, or use of a
  1 10 traffic signal preemption device is guilty of a simple
  1 11 misdemeanor.  In addition to any other penalties, the
  1 12 punishment imposed for a violation under this subsection shall
  1 13 include assessment of a fine of not less than two hundred
  1 14 fifty dollars, and if the violation involves the unauthorized
  1 15 use of a traffic signal preemption device, the person may also
  1 16 be required to complete community service.
  1 17    b.  For purposes of this subsection, "traffic signal
  1 18 preemption device" means a device that, when activated, is
  1 19 capable of changing an official traffic control signal to
  1 20 green out of sequence.
  1 21                           EXPLANATION
  1 22    This bill makes it unlawful to sell, own, possess, or use a
  1 23 traffic signal preemption device except in connection with the
  1 24 use of an authorized emergency vehicle or as authorized by the
  1 25 jurisdiction that owns and operates an official traffic
  1 26 control signal.  The bill defines "traffic signal preemption
  1 27 device" as a device that can change a traffic control signal
  1 28 to green out of sequence.
  1 29    The penalty for a violation is a simple misdemeanor, which
  1 30 is punishable by a fine of up to $500 or 30 days'
  1 31 imprisonment, or both.  The bill specifies that the penalty
  1 32 shall include, at a minimum, a fine of $250.  In addition, if
  1 33 the violation is for unauthorized use of a traffic signal
  1 34 preemption device, the person may also be required to perform
  1 35 community service.
  2  1 LSB 1425HV 81
  2  2 dea:nh/gg/14