House Study Bill 126 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON BAUDLER) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the sale, operation, and possession of speed 1 detection jamming devices, and making penalties applicable. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1931YC (3) 85 dea/nh

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 321.232, Code 2013, is amended to read 1 as follows: 2 321.232 Radar Speed detection jamming devices —— penalty. 3 1. A person shall not sell, operate , or possess a radar 4 speed detection jamming device, except as otherwise provided in 5 this section , when the device is in a vehicle operated on the 6 highways of this state or the device is held for sale in this 7 state. 8 2. This section does not apply to radar speed measuring 9 devices purchased by, held for purchase for, or operated by 10 peace officers using the devices in performance of their 11 official duties. 12 3. A radar speed detection jamming device sold, operated, or 13 possessed in violation of subsection 1 may be seized by a peace 14 officer and is subject to forfeiture as provided by chapter 809 15 or 809A . 16 4. For the purposes of this section “radar jamming device” : 17 a. “Speed detection jamming device” means any mechanism 18 designed or used to transmit radio waves in the electromagnetic 19 wave spectrum to interfere with the reception of those 20 emitted from a device used by peace officers of this state to 21 measure the speed of motor vehicles on the highways of this 22 state and which is not designed for two-way transmission and 23 cannot transmit in plain language active or passive device, 24 instrument, mechanism, or equipment that is designed or 25 intended to interfere with, disrupt, or scramble the radar or 26 laser that is used by a peace officer to measure the speed 27 of motor vehicles. “Speed detection jamming device” does not 28 include equipment that is legal under federal communications 29 commission regulations, such as a citizens’ band radio, a ham 30 radio, or other similar electronic equipment . 31 b. “Speed measuring device” includes but is not limited to 32 devices commonly known as radar speed meters or laser speed 33 meters. 34 Sec. 2. Section 805.8A, subsection 14, paragraph g, Code 35 -1- LSB 1931YC (3) 85 dea/nh 1/ 2

H.F. _____ 2013, is amended to read as follows: 1 g. Radar-jamming Speed detection jamming devices. For a 2 violation under section 321.232 , the scheduled fine is one 3 hundred dollars. 4 EXPLANATION 5 Current Iowa law prohibiting the sale, operation, or 6 possession of a radar jamming device applies only to certain 7 devices which are designed or used to interfere with radio 8 waves emitted by devices used by peace officers to measure the 9 speed of motor vehicles. 10 This bill expands the current law to apply to a broader 11 range of devices that interfere with radar speed meters and 12 laser speed meters. The bill defines “speed detection jamming 13 device” to mean any active or passive device, instrument, 14 mechanism, or equipment that is designed or intended to 15 interfere with, disrupt, or scramble the radar or laser that is 16 used by a peace officer to measure the speed of motor vehicles. 17 The definition excludes equipment that is legal under federal 18 communications commission regulations, such as a citizens’ band 19 radio, a ham radio, or other similar electronic equipment. 20 The bill specifies that its provisions do not apply to 21 speed measuring devices purchased by, held for purchase for, 22 or operated by peace officers in performance of their official 23 duties. 24 Under the bill, the sale, operation, or possession of a speed 25 detection jamming device is prohibited when the device is in a 26 vehicle operated on a highway in this state or held for sale in 27 this state. A speed detection jamming device sold, operated, 28 or possessed in violation of the bill may be seized by a peace 29 officer and is subject to forfeiture, as is currently the case 30 for radar jamming devices. 31 Currently, a violation relating to radar jamming devices is 32 a simple misdemeanor punishable by a scheduled fine of $100. 33 That same penalty applies for violations relating to speed 34 detection jamming devices under the bill. 35 -2- LSB 1931YC (3) 85 dea/nh 2/ 2