SSB 3008 (LSB 5171XC (4) 83)

SENATE FILE _____

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON KREIMAN)

A BILL FOR

An Act concerning penalties for failure to obey an official traffic control device when the violation results in death or serious injury.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.482A, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2009, is amended to read as follows:
   Notwithstanding section 321.482, a person who is convicted of operating a motor vehicle in violation of section 321.256, section 321.275, subsection 4, section 321.297, 321.298, 321.299, 321.302, 321.303, 321.304, 321.305, 321.306, 321.307, 321.308, section 321.309, subsection 2, or section 321.311, 321.319, 321.320, 321.321, 321.322, 321.323, 321.323A, 321.324, 321.324A, 321.327, 321.329, or 321.333 causing serious injury to or the death of another person may be subject to the following penalties in addition to the penalty provided for a scheduled violation in section 805.8A or any other penalty provided by law:
EXPLANATION
   This bill adds failure to obey an official traffic control device to the list of simple misdemeanor offenses that may be subject to additional fines and licensing sanctions if the violation causes injury or death. Currently, a motor vehicle operator convicted of failing to obey an official traffic control device is subject to a scheduled fine of $35. Under the bill, if the violation causes serious injury to another person, the court may impose an additional fine of $500 or driver’s license suspension for up to 90 days, or both. For a violation which causes the death of a person, the court may impose an additional fine of $1,000 or driver’s license suspension for up to 180 days, or both.