HOUSE FILE 278

BY  COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY

(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 60)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to eluding or attempting to elude a marked law enforcement vehicle, and providing a penalty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 321.279, subsection 2, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   2.
  a.  The driver of a motor vehicle commits an aggravated misdemeanor if the driver willfully fails to bring the motor vehicle to a stop or otherwise eludes or attempts to elude a marked official law enforcement vehicle that is driven by a uniformed peace officer after being given a visual and audible signal as provided in this section and in doing so exceeds the speed limit by twenty-five miles per hour or more.
   b.  The driver of a motor vehicle commits an aggravated misdemeanor if the driver willfully fails to bring the motor vehicle to a stop or otherwise eludes or attempts to elude a marked official law enforcement vehicle that is driven by a uniformed peace officer after being given a visual and audible signal as provided in this section and in doing so endangers the safety or property of another driver of a motor vehicle, pedestrian, bicyclist, or real property owner or lessee, other than a peace officer acting within the official capacity of the officer.
EXPLANATION
   This bill relates to eluding or attempting to elude a marked law enforcement vehicle.
   The bill provides that a driver of a motor vehicle commits an aggravated misdemeanor if the driver willfully fails to bring the motor vehicle to a stop or otherwise eludes or attempts to elude a marked official law enforcement vehicle that is driven by a uniformed peace officer after being given a visual and audible signal and in doing so endangers the safety or property of another driver of a motor vehicle, pedestrian, bicyclist, or real property owner or lessee, other than a peace officer acting within the official capacity of the officer.
   An aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than two years and a fine of at least $625 but not more than $6,250.