House File 431 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 431 BY KACENA , R. SMITH , BROWN-POWERS , MASCHER , THEDE , HUNTER , HANSON , ANDERSON , NIELSEN , T. TAYLOR , OURTH , BEARINGER , MEYER , PRICHARD , WOLFE , GASKILL , and LENSING A BILL FOR An Act relating to drivers who are hearing impaired, and making 1 a penalty applicable. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2246YH (3) 87 ns/nh

H.F. 431 Section 1. Section 321.34, Code 2017, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 14A. Hearing impaired special plates. 3 a. An owner referred to in subsection 12 may, upon written 4 application to the department, order special registration 5 plates with a hearing impaired processed emblem designed by 6 the department bearing the international symbol of access 7 for hearing loss. The special registration plates with a 8 hearing impaired processed emblem shall only be issued if the 9 application is accompanied by a statement from a physician 10 licensed under chapter 148 or an audiologist licensed under 11 chapter 154F, written on the physician’s or audiologist’s 12 stationery, stating the nature of the applicant’s hearing loss 13 and such additional information as required by rules adopted 14 by the department. If the application is approved by the 15 department, the special registration plates with a hearing 16 impaired processed emblem shall be issued to the applicant. 17 There shall be no fee in addition to the regular annual 18 registration fee for the special registration plates with a 19 hearing impaired processed emblem. The authorization for 20 special registration plates with a hearing impaired processed 21 emblem shall not be renewed without the applicant furnishing 22 evidence to the department that the owner of the vehicle is 23 still hearing impaired. 24 b. When special registration plates with a hearing impaired 25 processed emblem are issued to an applicant, the department 26 shall also furnish to the applicant at no cost three stickers 27 bearing the international symbol of access for hearing loss. 28 The applicant shall place one sticker in the upper left corner 29 of the vehicle’s windshield, one sticker in the upper left 30 corner of the vehicle’s driver’s side window, and one sticker, 31 which shall be treated with a reflective material according to 32 specifications adopted by the department, in the upper left 33 corner of the vehicle’s rear window. 34 EXPLANATION 35 -1- LSB 2246YH (3) 87 ns/nh 1/ 2

H.F. 431 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 This bill permits the owner of a vehicle to, upon written 3 application to the department of transportation (DOT), order 4 special registration plates with a hearing impaired processed 5 emblem designed by the DOT bearing the international symbol 6 of access for hearing loss. The bill provides that special 7 registration plates with a hearing impaired processed emblem 8 shall only be issued if the application is accompanied by a 9 statement from a physician or audiologist, written on the 10 physician’s or audiologist’s stationery, stating the nature of 11 the applicant’s hearing loss. If the application is approved 12 by the DOT, the special registration plates with a hearing 13 impaired processed emblem shall be issued to the applicant. 14 There shall be no fee in addition to the regular annual 15 registration fee for the special registration plates with a 16 hearing impaired processed emblem. The bill prohibits the 17 authorization for special registration plates with a hearing 18 impaired processed emblem from being renewed without the 19 applicant furnishing evidence to the DOT that the owner of the 20 vehicle is still hearing impaired. 21 The bill also provides that when special registration plates 22 with a hearing impaired processed emblem are issued to an 23 applicant, the DOT shall also furnish to the applicant at no 24 cost three stickers bearing the international symbol of access 25 for hearing loss. The bill requires the applicant to place one 26 sticker in the upper left corner of the vehicle’s windshield, 27 one sticker in the upper left corner of the vehicle’s driver’s 28 side window, and one sticker, which shall be treated with a 29 reflective material, in the upper left corner of the vehicle’s 30 rear window. By operation of law, a violation of the bill is 31 punishable by a scheduled fine of $20. 32 -2- LSB 2246YH (3) 87 ns/nh 2/ 2