SF 378 (LSB 1416SV (1) 91)

SENATE FILE 378

BY  COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 73)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the default speed limit for all vehicular traffic, and making penalties applicable.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 321.285, subsection 3, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  Unless otherwise provided in this section or by other speed restrictions, the speed limit for all vehicular traffic shall be fifty-five sixty miles per hour.
    Sec. 2.  IMPLEMENTATION.  Notwithstanding section 321.252, 321.255, 321.285, or any other provision of law to the contrary, when updating speed limit signs as a result of the enactment of this Act, the agency that exercises jurisdiction over a highway for which the speed limit increased may attach nonpermanent overlays or stickers approved by the department of transportation to existing speed limit signs in order to display the new speed limit. The nonpermanent overlays or stickers may be used by the applicable agency until the applicable speed limit sign is replaced based on the agency’s replacement schedule and any applicable specifications or requirements.
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, the default speed limit for all vehicular traffic is 55 miles per hour (MPH) unless otherwise provided. A speed limit is provided for streets or highways on which a cattle guard is installed (15 MPH), business districts (20 MPH), residential or school districts (25 MPH), state parks and preserves (35 MPH), suburban districts (45 MPH), board of regents institution roads (45 MPH), unpaved secondary roads (55 MPH between sunrise and sunset and 50 MPH between sunset and sunrise), fully controlled-access, divided, multilaned highways (65 MPH), certain divided multilaned highways that are not fully access-controlled, if selected by the department of transportation (DOT) (65 MPH), and highways that are part of the interstate road system (70 MPH). In addition, the agency responsible for a highway is authorized to establish a lower reasonable and proper speed limit on the highway under certain circumstances and is required to erect signage giving notice of the limit.
   This bill increases the default speed limit for all vehicular traffic to 60 MPH.
   The bill does not increase the speed limit range for which the DOT is prohibited from considering the first two excessive speed violations (10 MPH or less on a highway with a speed limit between 34 MPH and 56 MPH) within a 12-month period for purposes of suspending a driver’s license (Code section 321.210) or while a person is operating a motor vehicle during a license probationary period (Code section 321.210C). The bill also does not increase the 55 MPH minimum speed limit a local authority is authorized to provide for by ordinance (Code section 321.293).
   The bill authorizes the agency that exercises jurisdiction over a highway for which the speed limit increased, when updating speed limit signs as a result of the bill, to attach nonpermanent overlays or stickers approved by the DOT to existing speed limit signs in order to display the new speed limit. The nonpermanent overlays or stickers may be used by the applicable agency until the applicable speed limit sign is replaced based on the agency’s replacement schedule and any applicable specifications or requirements.
   Pursuant to current law, a person who operates a motor vehicle in excess of the speed limit commits a simple misdemeanor punishable by a scheduled fine that varies depending on the excessive speed. The fine ranges from $30 for a speed in excess of the limit by not more than 5 MPH to $135 plus $5 for each MPH of excessive speed over 20 MPH over the limit, with increased fines for violations in road work zones.