House File 2455 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2455 BY COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2145) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the operation of implements of husbandry on 1 a certain segment of highway if that segment becomes part 2 of the interstate road system, making appropriations, and 3 including applicability provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5808HV (1) 90 th/ns
H.F. 2455 Section 1. Section 321.285, subsection 5, paragraph e, Code 1 2024, is amended to read as follows: 2 e. (1) Any kind of A vehicle, device, implement, or 3 conveyance incapable of attaining and maintaining a speed 4 of forty miles per hour shall be prohibited from using the 5 interstate road system. 6 (2) This paragraph does not apply to an implement of 7 husbandry that a person is authorized to operate on the 8 segment of United States highway 65, and state highway 5 9 where the highway designations overlap, between the highway’s 10 intersection with United States highway 6 and the highway’s 11 intersection with United States highway 69, prior to the date 12 that segment of highway is designated a part of the interstate 13 road system, if the segment of highway is designated a part of 14 the interstate road system. This subparagraph is repealed on 15 the date an alternative route for implements of husbandry is 16 developed, deemed suitable by the department, and opened for 17 traffic to bypass the segment of the interstate road system 18 described in this subparagraph. 19 Sec. 2. ALTERNATIVE HIGHWAY STUDY. There is appropriated 20 from the general fund of the state to the department of 21 transportation for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and 22 ending June 30, 2025, the following amount, or so much thereof 23 as is necessary, for the department to conduct an alternative 24 highway study to develop and implement an accessible highway 25 route suitable for implements of husbandry to be operated 26 alongside, but not directly on, the segment of United States 27 highway 65, and state highway 5 where the highway designations 28 overlap, between United States highway 6 and United States 29 highway 69: 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 250,000 31 Sec. 3. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to the segment 32 of the highway known as United States highway 65, and state 33 highway 5 where the highway designations overlap, described in 34 this Act on the effective date of this Act, and shall apply to 35 -1- LSB 5808HV (1) 90 th/ns 1/ 3
H.F. 2455 that segment of the highway thereafter regardless of whether 1 the highway’s designation as United States highway 65, or 2 state highway 5 where the highway designations overlap, is 3 subsequently changed by the state transportation commission, 4 department of transportation, or the government of the United 5 States. 6 EXPLANATION 7 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 8 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 9 Under current law, any kind of vehicle, implement, or 10 conveyance incapable of attaining and maintaining a speed of 40 11 miles per hour (MPH) is prohibited from using the interstate 12 road system. 13 This bill provides a conditional exception to that 14 prohibition. If an implement of husbandry may be operated 15 on the segment of the highway known as United States highway 16 65, and state highway 5 where the highway designations overlap 17 (segment), between the highway’s intersection with United 18 States highway 6 and the highway’s intersection with United 19 States highway 69, prior to the date the segment becomes 20 part of the interstate road system, then the implement of 21 husbandry may continue to be operated on that segment until an 22 alternative route for implements of husbandry is developed, 23 deemed suitable by the department of transportation (DOT), 24 and opened for traffic to bypass the interstate road system 25 segment. 26 Under current law, an “implement of husbandry” means a 27 vehicle or special mobile equipment manufactured, designed, 28 or reconstructed for agricultural purposes and, except 29 for incidental uses, is exclusively used in the conduct of 30 agricultural operations. To be considered an implement of 31 husbandry, a self-propelled qualifying vehicle must be operated 32 at speeds of 35 MPH or less. 33 The bill appropriates $250,000 from the general fund of the 34 state to the DOT to conduct an alternative highway study to 35 -2- LSB 5808HV (1) 90 th/ns 2/ 3
H.F. 2455 develop and implement an accessible alternative highway route 1 suitable for implements of husbandry, so the implements can be 2 operated on a highway other than the interstate road system 3 segment. 4 The bill applies to the segment on the effective date of the 5 bill, and will continue to apply to the segment regardless of 6 whether the highway’s designation is subsequently changed. 7 -3- LSB 5808HV (1) 90 th/ns 3/ 3