HF 2015 (LSB 5198YH (1) 89)

HOUSE FILE 2015

BY  A. MEYER

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to additional penalties for certain violations against bicyclists causing serious injury or death committed by a person operating a motor vehicle.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.482A, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   Notwithstanding section 321.482, a person who is convicted of operating a motor vehicle in violation of section 321.178, subsection 2, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (2), section 321.180B, subsection 6, section 321.194, subsection 2, paragraph “b”, subparagraph (2), section 321.256, 321.257, section 321.275, subsection 4, section 321.276, section 321.281, subsection 1, section 321.297, 321.298, 321.299, 321.302, 321.303, 321.304, 321.305, 321.306, 321.307,  321.311, 321.319, 321.320, 321.321, 321.322, 321.323, 321.324, 321.324A, 321.327, 321.329, 321.333,  section 321.372, subsection 3, or section 321.449B, causing serious injury to or the death of another person may be subject to the following penalties in addition to the penalty provided for a scheduled violation in section 805.8A or any other penalty provided by law:
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, Code section 321.281(1) prohibits a person operating a motor vehicle from steering the vehicle unreasonably close to or toward a person riding a bicycle on a highway, including the roadway or the shoulder adjacent to the roadway. The scheduled fine for a violation of Code section 321.281(1) is $325. Code section 321.482A sets forth additional penalties for causing serious injury to or the death of another person while operating a motor vehicle in violation of certain Code sections in Code chapter 321 (motor vehicles and law of the road). 
   This bill adds Code section 321.281(1) to the list of violations subject to additional penalties under Code section 321.482A. For a violation causing serious injury, the additional penalties include a fine of $500 or suspension of the violator’s driver’s license or operating privileges for not more than 90 days, or both. For a violation causing death, the additional penalties include a fine of $1,000 or suspension of the violator’s driver’s license or operating privileges for not more than 180 days, or both.