House Study Bill 686 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON JONES) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the operating privileges of drivers of 1 authorized emergency vehicles and police officers riding 2 police bicycles. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 6860YC (4) 91 th/ns

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 321.231, subsection 2, unnumbered 1 paragraph 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows: 2 The driver of any an authorized emergency vehicle or peace 3 officer riding a police bicycle in the line of duty , may: 4 Sec. 2. Section 321.231, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended 5 by adding the following new paragraphs: 6 NEW PARAGRAPH . f. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop 7 sign, but only after slowing down to or maintaining a speed 8 deemed necessary for safe operation by the driver based on 9 information known to the driver at the time. 10 NEW PARAGRAPH . g. Exceed the maximum speed limits so long 11 as the driver does not recklessly endanger life or property. 12 Sec. 3. Section 321.231, subsection 3, Code 2026, is amended 13 by striking the subsection. 14 Sec. 4. Section 321.231, subsection 5, Code 2026, is amended 15 to read as follows: 16 5. a. The exemptions granted to the driver of an authorized 17 emergency vehicle under subsection 2 and to the driver of 18 an official fire department vehicle, police vehicle, rescue 19 vehicle, ambulance, emergency medical services vehicle, or 20 emergency management vehicle as provided in subsection 3 shall 21 apply only when such vehicle is making use of an audible 22 warning device meeting the requirements of section 321.433 or a 23 visual signaling device authorized under this chapter . 24 b. The exemption granted under subsection 3 2 , paragraph 25 “b” “g” , shall be granted to a peace officer or reserve peace 26 officer operating an authorized emergency vehicle without using 27 an audible warning device or visual signaling device if such 28 action occurs over the shortest distance necessary, does not 29 recklessly endanger persons or property, and if the officer 30 is pursuing a suspected violator of the speed restrictions 31 imposed by or pursuant to this chapter for the purpose of 32 determining the speed of travel of such suspected violator, 33 or if the officer reasonably believes based on the facts and 34 circumstances at the time that a suspected violator’s knowledge 35 -1- LSB 6860YC (4) 91 th/ns 1/ 3

H.F. _____ of the officer’s proximity may cause the suspected violator 1 to destroy evidence of a suspected felony or aggravated 2 misdemeanor, evade apprehension, or endanger the public or the 3 officer. 4 c. The exemption granted under subsection 3 2 , paragraph 5 “b” “g” , shall be granted to the driver of an authorized 6 emergency vehicle transporting a patient to a hospital without 7 using a visual signaling device or audible warning device if a 8 certified emergency medical care provider reasonably believes 9 the patient’s condition warrants rapid transport. 10 EXPLANATION 11 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 12 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 13 Under current law, for purposes of Code chapter 321 (motor 14 vehicles and law of the road), “authorized emergency vehicle” 15 includes vehicles of a fire department, police vehicles, 16 ambulances, and emergency vehicles owned by a governmental 17 entity, and privately owned vehicles as are designated or 18 authorized by the director of transportation under Code section 19 321.451. Privately owned vehicles which may be designated as 20 authorized emergency vehicles include an ambulance or fire or 21 rescue vehicle; a state or county medical examiner vehicle; a 22 personal vehicle of a sheriff, deputy sheriff, chief of police, 23 police officer, chief of a paid fire department, or certified 24 chief or certified fire officer of a volunteer fire department, 25 a combination volunteer-paid fire department, or a nonprofit 26 corporation that delivers emergency services on behalf of a 27 municipality; a towing or recovery vehicle; or a personal 28 vehicle of a chief, medical director, or certified medical 29 provider of an authorized emergency medical service. 30 Current law authorizes the driver of an authorized emergency 31 vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, when in the 32 pursuit of an actual or suspected perpetrator of a felony 33 or misdemeanor, in response to an incident dangerous to the 34 public, or when responding to but not upon returning from a 35 -2- LSB 6860YC (4) 91 th/ns 2/ 3

H.F. _____ fire alarm, to disregard specified traffic laws. Under such 1 circumstances, the driver of any authorized emergency vehicle 2 may park or stand the vehicle irrespective of traffic laws, 3 disregard laws or regulations governing direction of movement 4 for the minimum distance necessary, drive the vehicle on the 5 shoulder or median of a highway, disregard laws or regulations 6 governing turning the vehicle in specified directions, and 7 disregard laws or regulations governing overtaking or passing 8 other motorists. Two additional authorizations are granted 9 to official fire department vehicles, police vehicles, rescue 10 vehicles, ambulances, emergency medical services vehicles, 11 and emergency management vehicles, and peace officers riding 12 a police bicycle in the line of duty: (1) proceeding past 13 a red or stop signal or stop sign after slowing down to or 14 maintaining a speed deemed necessary for safe operation and (2) 15 exceeding the maximum speed limits so long as the driver does 16 not recklessly endanger life or property. 17 This bill grants the two authorizations to proceed past a 18 red or stop signal or stop sign, and to exceed the maximum 19 speed limit, to the driver of any authorized emergency vehicle, 20 including privately owned vehicles such as towing and recovery 21 vehicles. The bill also specifies that the authorizations 22 for drivers of authorized emergency vehicles apply to peace 23 officers riding a police bicycle in the line of duty. 24 Under current law and the bill, these authorizations apply 25 only to vehicles making use of an audible warning device or 26 visual signaling device, except under certain circumstances. 27 A violation of Code section 321.231 is punishable by a $135 28 scheduled fine. 29 -3- LSB 6860YC (4) 91 th/ns 3/ 3