HF 728 (LSB 2829YH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 728

BY  MEGGERS

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to police, fire department, and other emergency vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.231, subsection 3, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   The driver of an official a fire department vehicle, police vehicle, rescue vehicle, ambulance, emergency medical services vehicle, or emergency management vehicle, or a peace officer riding a police bicycle in the line of duty, may do any of the following:
    Sec. 2.  Section 321.231, subsection 5, paragraph a, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  The exemptions granted to the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle under subsection 2 and to the driver of an official a fire department vehicle, police vehicle, rescue vehicle, ambulance, emergency medical services vehicle, or emergency management vehicle as provided in subsection 3 shall apply only when such vehicle is making use of an audible warning device meeting the requirements of section 321.433 or a visual signaling device authorized under this chapter.
    Sec. 3.  Section 321.424, subsections 2, 9, and 12, Code 2025, are amended to read as follows:
   2.  An official A law enforcement, fire department, emergency medical services, or emergency management vehicle owned by the state or a municipality, as defined in section 670.1, may be equipped with flashing headlamps.
   9.  An official A law enforcement, fire department, rescue, emergency medical services, or emergency management vehicle may be equipped with lights or light bars containing one or more rear zone amber lights or amber directional arrows, which shall be in addition to any other required lighting equipment. An authorized emergency vehicle shall not be equipped with an amber light positioned on the front or side of the vehicle. However, an aerial fire apparatus may be equipped with amber flashing lights on the outriggers of the apparatus.
   12.  An official A fire department vehicle or emergency medical services vehicle purchased, delivered, or refurbished on or after July 1, 2021, shall be equipped with a master warning switch to activate all emergency lights on the vehicle, in addition to one or more switches to separately activate or isolate the front, side, and rear warning lights.
    Sec. 4.  Section 321.433, subsection 5, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   5.  An official A fire department vehicle, emergency medical services program vehicle, or law enforcement vehicle owned by the state, a municipality, as defined in section 670.1, or a corporation providing emergency medical services, that was purchased, delivered, or refurbished on or after July 1, 2022, excluding an all-terrain vehicle or a special service vehicle, shall be equipped with an electric or electronic siren capable of emitting at least two distinct siren tones, and one or more compatible siren speakers.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill amends provisions in Code chapter 321 (motor vehicles and law of the road) by striking the word “official” when it precedes lists of authorized emergency vehicles and other similar vehicles. The bill does not amend the rights and responsibilities of a person who operates such a vehicle.