HF 574 (LSB 1114HV (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 574

BY  COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 202)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the driving privileges of unsupervised persons issued a special minor’s restricted driver’s license, and making penalties applicable.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.194, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  Consent —— employment and established place of religious worship.  Prior to being authorized to operate a motor vehicle unsupervised to a place of employment, or a location for farm-related work while employed to work on a farm, or an established place of religious worship, the applicant’s parent or guardian must complete a written consent form prescribed by the department.
   a.  The written consent form must include, at minimum, the name and address of the applicant’s current place of employment, or primary farm location, or established place of religious worship, as applicable.
   b.  If the place of employment, or primary farm location, or established place of religious worship changes, the parent or guardian must complete a new written consent form prior to the licensee being authorized to operate a motor vehicle unsupervised to the new location.
   c.  While a licensee is operating a motor vehicle as described in this subsection, the licensee shall carry a copy of the written consent form in the vehicle and present the form for inspection upon request by a certified peace officer.
    Sec. 2.  Section 321.194, subsection 4, paragraph b, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   A licensee may operate a motor vehicle unsupervised over the most direct and accessible route between the licensee’s residence, school of enrollment, location where the licensee receives competent private instruction or independent private instruction, place of employment, location for farm work or farm-related work if the licensee resides on a farm or is employed for compensation on a farm in this state, established place of religious worship, and the closest service station, for any of the following purposes, as applicable, provided the driving distance between the point of origin and the destination is no more than twenty-five miles, and the licensee is in immediate possession of the license card:
    Sec. 3.  Section 321.194, subsection 4, paragraph b, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
   NEW SUBPARAGRAPH.  (06)  To attend religious worship services or participate in volunteer service programs at the licensee’s established place of religious worship, if approved by the licensee’s parent or guardian pursuant to subsection 2.
    Sec. 4.  Section 321.194, subsection 5, paragraphs a and e, Code 2025, are amended to read as follows:
   a.  Operate the motor vehicle except during the hour before and after the beginning and end of the licensee’s duly scheduled courses of instruction, extracurricular activities, work shift, farm work, or farm-related work, religious worship service, or volunteer service program, as applicable.
   e.  Operate a motor vehicle to the licensee’s place of employment, or location for farm work or farm-related work, or established place of religious worship unless the licensee’s parent or guardian completed a written consent form and the form is carried in the motor vehicle and available for inspection in accordance with subsection 2.
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 between the ages of 14 and 18 is authorized to operate a motor vehicle without supervision between certain approved locations, for certain activities, and during certain times if the person (licensee) holds a special minor’s restricted license. Certain further restrictions exist for some licensees, including a requirement that the licensee’s parent or guardian must complete a written consent form prescribed by the department of transportation prior to the licensee operating a vehicle unsupervised to a place of employment. The consent form must be carried by the licensee in the vehicle while operating the vehicle unsupervised and the licensee must present the form for inspection upon request by a certified peace officer.
   This bill adds established places of religious worship to the list of approved driving locations. The bill authorizes a licensee to operate a motor vehicle for the purposes of attending religious worship services or participating in volunteer service programs at the licensee’s established place of religious worship during the hour before and after the service or program. The licensee’s parent or guardian must complete a consent form including the location of the established place of religious worship, the form must be carried by the licensee in the vehicle while operating the vehicle unsupervised, and the licensee must present the form for inspection upon request by a certified peace officer. In accordance with current law, the driving distance between the point of origin and the destination cannot be more than 25 miles.
   A licensee who violates the restrictions of a special minor’s restricted license commits a simple misdemeanor, classified as a moving violation, punishable by a $70 scheduled fine. Additionally, the department of transportation must suspend the license for three months and is prohibited from issuing an intermediate license to the person for an additional three months following the person’s sixteenth birthday.