HF 2548 (LSB 5820HV (2) 88)

HOUSE FILE 2548

BY  COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 531)

A BILL FOR

An Act regarding driving privileges of persons issued a special minor’s driver’s license who reside or are employed on a farm, and making penalties applicable. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.194, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 2020, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
   NEW SUBPARAGRAPH.  (03)  If the licensee resides on a farm or is employed for compensation on a farm in this state, the licensee may operate a motor vehicle during the hours of 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for the purpose of assisting the person’s parents, guardians, or employers with farm work or in connection with any farm job, employment, or other farm-related work, including traveling to or from the location of the farm work, provided the driving distance between the point of origin and the destination is no more than fifty miles. 
    Sec. 2.  Section 321.194, subsection 2, paragraph a, subparagraph (3), Code 2020, is amended to read as follows:
   (3)  To a service station for the purpose of refueling, so long as the service station is the station closest to the route on which the licensee is traveling under subparagraph (1), or (2), or (03).
    Sec. 3.  Section 321.194, subsection 3, paragraph b, Code 2020, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  Upon receipt of a statement of necessity, the department shall issue the driver’s license provided the applicant is otherwise eligible for issuance of the license. The fact that the applicant resides at a distance less than one mile from the applicant’s school of enrollment is prima facie evidence of the nonexistence of necessity for the issuance of a license.  However, the distance between the applicant’s residence and school of enrollment shall not be considered if the applicant resides on a farm or is employed for compensation on a farm.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   Under current law, a person holding a special minor’s driver’s license is allowed to operate a motor vehicle during the hours of 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. between the licensee’s residence, schools of enrollment, bus stops, and sites, facilities, or schools designated by the licensee’s district or school of enrollment for the accommodation of the school’s extracurricular activities, with certain limitations. This bill allows a person holding a special minor’s driver’s license who resides on a farm or is employed for compensation on a farm in this state to operate a motor vehicle during the hours of 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for the purpose of assisting the person’s parents, guardians, or employers with farm work or in connection with any farm job, employment, or other farm-related work, including traveling to or from the location of the farm work, provided the driving distance between the point of origin and the destination is no more than 50 miles. The bill also allows a licensee to operate a motor vehicle to a service station along the associated routes.
   Under current law, an application for a special minor’s driver’s license must be accompanied by a statement from the applicant’s school of enrollment certifying that a need exists for the license. The fact that an applicant resides at a distance less than one mile from the applicant’s school of enrollment is prima facie evidence of the nonexistence of necessity for the issuance of the license. However, the bill provides that the distance between the applicant’s residence and school of enrollment shall not be considered regarding the existence of a necessity if the applicant resides on a farm or is employed for compensation on a farm.
   A violation of Code section 321.194 is punishable by a scheduled fine of $50.