Senate File 76 



                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  BLACK

                                       (COMPANION TO HF 129 BY LUKAN)


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

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act to require proof of financial liability coverage upon
  2    registration of a motor vehicle and providing penalties.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 1767SS 82
  5 dea/gg/14

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 321.20, subsection 1, Code 2007, is
  1  2 amended by adding the following new paragraph:
  1  3    NEW PARAGRAPH.  g.  If the vehicle is a motor vehicle, the
  1  4 owner shall certify on the application that financial
  1  5 liability coverage is in effect for the motor vehicle and
  1  6 provide a description of the financial liability coverage as
  1  7 noted on the proof of financial liability coverage card issued
  1  8 for the motor vehicle.  The owner shall notify the county
  1  9 treasurer when the insurance carrier or other source of the
  1 10 financial liability coverage changes within thirty days of
  1 11 obtaining the new coverage.  The application provided by the
  1 12 department shall include a statement for the applicant to sign
  1 13 that acknowledges the applicant's knowledge of the requirement
  1 14 to notify the county treasurer of a financial liability
  1 15 coverage change.  A person who falsely certifies as to
  1 16 financial liability coverage required under this section or
  1 17 section 321.40 commits a simple misdemeanor.  A person who
  1 18 fails to notify the county treasurer of a change in financial
  1 19 liability coverage as required pursuant to this paragraph
  1 20 commits a simple misdemeanor if the person's motor vehicle is
  1 21 operated on the highway after the thirty=day notification
  1 22 period has lapsed.
  1 23    Sec. 2.  Section 321.30, Code 2007, is amended by adding
  1 24 the following new subsection:
  1 25    NEW SUBSECTION.  17.  The department or the county
  1 26 treasurer shall refuse registration of a motor vehicle if the
  1 27 owner does not provide satisfactory certification that
  1 28 financial liability coverage is in effect for the motor
  1 29 vehicle.
  1 30    Sec. 3.  Section 321.40, Code 2007, is amended by adding
  1 31 the following new unnumbered paragraph:
  1 32    NEW UNNUMBERED PARAGRAPH.  A form for certification of
  1 33 financial liability coverage shall accompany each renewal
  1 34 statement sent to the owner of a motor vehicle under this
  1 35 section.  The county treasurer shall refuse to renew the
  2  1 registration of a motor vehicle if the applicant does not
  2  2 submit certification of financial liability coverage in effect
  2  3 for the motor vehicle.
  2  4                           EXPLANATION
  2  5    This bill requires the owner of a motor vehicle to certify
  2  6 that financial liability coverage is in effect for the vehicle
  2  7 at the time the vehicle is registered and each time the
  2  8 registration is renewed.  If the insurance carrier or other
  2  9 source of the financial liability coverage changes, the owner
  2 10 of the motor vehicle has 30 days in which to notify the county
  2 11 treasurer of the change in coverage.  The owner of the motor
  2 12 vehicle can be charged with a simple misdemeanor if the owner
  2 13 fails to provide timely notification of a change in coverage
  2 14 and the motor vehicle is operated on a highway.  In addition,
  2 15 a person who falsely certifies as to financial liability
  2 16 coverage required for registration or renewal commits a simple
  2 17 misdemeanor.  A simple misdemeanor is punishable by
  2 18 confinement for no more than 30 days or a fine of at least $65
  2 19 but not more than $625 or by both.
  2 20 LSB 1767SS 82
  2 21 dea:nh/gg/14