HF 2424 (LSB 5545YH (3) 89)

HOUSE FILE 2424

BY  WHEELER

A BILL FOR

An Act regarding driving privileges of persons issued a special minor’s driver’s license who are employed, 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 2022, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
   NEW SUBPARAGRAPH.  (04)  If the licensee is employed for compensation in this state, other than as described in subparagraph (3), the licensee may operate a motor vehicle during the hours of 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. over the most direct and accessible route between the licensee’s residence or school of enrollment and the licensee’s place of employment for purposes related to the employment, provided the driving distance between the point of origin and the destination is no more than twenty-five miles. 
    Sec. 2.  Section 321.194, subsection 2, paragraph a, subparagraph (4), Code 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (4)  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), (2), or (3), or (04).
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; sites, facilities, or schools designated by the licensee’s district or school of enrollment for the accommodation of the school’s extracurricular activities; and locations associated with a licensee’s farm work; with certain limitations.
   This bill allows a person holding a special minor’s driver’s license who is employed for compensation in this state to operate a motor vehicle during the hours of 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. over the most direct and accessible route between the licensee’s residence or school of enrollment and the licensee’s place of employment for purposes related to the employment, provided the driving distance between the point of origin and the destination is no more than 25 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 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. This exception does not apply to persons employed for work unrelated to farming, as described in the bill.
   A violation of Code section 321.194 is punishable by a scheduled fine of $70.