House File 2229 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2229 BY HEATON A BILL FOR An Act relating to lighting requirements for towed machinery or 1 equipment, and making penalties applicable. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5162YH (9) 85 dea/nh

H.F. 2229 Section 1. Section 321.423, subsection 2, paragraph h, Code 1 2014, is amended to read as follows: 2 h. A flashing amber light is permitted on a towing or 3 recovery vehicle, a utility maintenance vehicle, a municipal 4 maintenance vehicle, a highway maintenance vehicle, or a 5 vehicle operated in accordance with subsection 6 , paragraph 6 “a” , or section 321.398 or 321.453 . 7 Sec. 2. Section 321.423, subsection 2, Code 2014, is amended 8 by adding the following new paragraph: 9 NEW PARAGRAPH . k. A flashing red light is permitted on 10 towed machinery or equipment in accordance with subsection 6, 11 paragraph “b” . 12 Sec. 3. Section 321.423, subsection 6, Code 2014, is amended 13 to read as follows: 14 6. Amber flashing light —— flashing red light . 15 a. A farm tractor, farm tractor with towed equipment, 16 self-propelled implement of husbandry, road construction or 17 maintenance vehicle, road grader, or other vehicle principally 18 designed for use off the highway which, when operated on 19 a primary or secondary road, is operated at a speed of 20 thirty-five miles an hour or less, shall be equipped with and 21 display an amber flashing light visible from the rear at any 22 time from sunset to sunrise. If the amber flashing light is 23 obstructed by the towed equipment, the towed equipment shall 24 also be equipped with and display an amber flashing light as 25 required under this subsection . All vehicles specified in 26 this subsection which are manufactured for sale or sold in 27 this state shall be equipped with an amber flashing light 28 in accordance with the standards of the American society of 29 agricultural engineers. 30 b. In addition to the requirements of paragraph “a” , 31 machinery or equipment towed by a farm tractor or other motor 32 vehicle at any time from sunset to sunrise shall display a 33 flashing red light attached at the rearmost position on the 34 towed machinery or equipment and visible from a distance of 35 -1- LSB 5162YH (9) 85 dea/nh 1/ 2

H.F. 2229 five hundred feet to the rear. 1 EXPLANATION 2 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 4 Under current law, a farm tractor with towed equipment is 5 required to be equipped with and display an amber flashing 6 light visible from the rear at any time from sunset to sunrise. 7 If the amber flashing light is obstructed by the towed 8 equipment, the towed equipment must also be equipped with and 9 display an amber flashing light. In addition to those current 10 requirements, this bill requires that machinery or equipment 11 towed by a farm tractor or other motor vehicle at any time from 12 sunset to sunrise must display a flashing red light visible 13 from 500 feet to the rear. The flashing red light must be 14 attached at the rearmost position on the towed machinery or 15 equipment. 16 A violation of vehicle lighting requirements is punishable 17 by a scheduled fine of $30. 18 -2- LSB 5162YH (9) 85 dea/nh 2/ 2