House File 304 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 304 BY T. TAYLOR A BILL FOR An Act relating to civil penalties for citations issued as 1 a result of the use of automated traffic law enforcement 2 systems. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1975YH (3) 86 ns/nh
H.F. 304 Section 1. Section 321.1, Code 2015, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 06A. “Automated traffic law enforcement 3 system” means a device with one or more sensors working in 4 conjunction with one of the following: 5 a. An official traffic-control signal, to produce recorded 6 images of motor vehicles entering an intersection against a red 7 signal light. 8 b. A speed measuring device, to produce recorded images of 9 motor vehicles traveling at a prohibited rate of speed. 10 c. A railroad grade crossing signal light, as described in 11 section 321.342, to produce images of vehicles violating the 12 signal light. 13 d. Any official traffic-control device, if failure to comply 14 with the official traffic-control device constitutes a moving 15 violation under this chapter. 16 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 321.237A Automated traffic law 17 enforcement systems —— civil penalties —— uniform citations. 18 1. A penalty imposed by a local authority as a result of the 19 use of an automated traffic law enforcement system shall be a 20 civil penalty. 21 2. The amount of a civil penalty imposed by a local 22 authority as a result of the use of an automated traffic law 23 enforcement system for an offense which would be punishable by 24 a scheduled fine under section 805.8A, subsection 5, 7, or 8, 25 shall be equal to the amount of the applicable scheduled fine. 26 Sec. 3. Section 331.307, subsection 1, Code 2015, is amended 27 to read as follows: 28 1. A county infraction is a civil offense and, except as 29 provided in section 321.237A, subsection 2, is punishable by a 30 civil penalty of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars for 31 each violation or if the infraction is a repeat offense a civil 32 penalty not to exceed one thousand dollars for each repeat 33 offense. 34 Sec. 4. Section 364.3, subsection 6, Code 2015, is amended 35 -1- LSB 1975YH (3) 86 ns/nh 1/ 2
H.F. 304 to read as follows: 1 6. A Except as provided in section 321.237A, subsection 2, 2 a city shall not provide a civil penalty in excess of seven 3 hundred fifty dollars for the violation of an ordinance which 4 is classified as a municipal infraction or if the infraction is 5 a repeat offense, a civil penalty not to exceed one thousand 6 dollars for each repeat offense. A municipal infraction is not 7 punishable by imprisonment. 8 EXPLANATION 9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 10 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 11 This bill relates to civil penalties for citations issued 12 as the result of the use of automated traffic law enforcement 13 systems. 14 The bill defines “automated traffic law enforcement system” 15 as a device with one or more sensors working in conjunction 16 with an official traffic-control signal, a speed measuring 17 device, a railroad grade crossing signal light, or any other 18 official traffic-control device. 19 The bill provides that a penalty imposed by a local authority 20 as a result of the use of an automated traffic law enforcement 21 system shall be a civil penalty, and, for certain offenses, 22 the amount of the penalty shall be equal to the amount of the 23 scheduled fine applicable under state law to the offense for 24 which the citation was issued. 25 -2- LSB 1975YH (3) 86 ns/nh 2/ 2