Senate Study Bill 3108 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON EVANS) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the maximum driving distance of unsupervised 1 persons issued a special minor’s restricted driver’s license 2 who are enrolled at an accredited nonpublic school. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 6677XC (2) 91 th/ns

S.F. _____ Section 1. Section 321.194, subsection 4, paragraph b, 1 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as 2 follows: 3 A licensee may operate a motor vehicle unsupervised over 4 the most direct and accessible route between the licensee’s 5 residence, school of enrollment, location where the licensee 6 receives competent private instruction or independent private 7 instruction, place of employment, location for farm work or 8 farm-related work if the licensee resides on a farm or is 9 employed for compensation on a farm in this state, and the 10 closest service station, for any of the following purposes, as 11 applicable, provided the driving distance between the point of 12 origin and the destination is no more than twenty-five miles, 13 unless waived pursuant to subsection 6A, and the licensee is in 14 immediate possession of the license card: 15 Sec. 2. Section 321.194, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 16 following new subsection: 17 NEW SUBSECTION . 6A. Accredited nonpublic school distance 18 waiver. A licensee may operate a motor vehicle unsupervised 19 over the most direct and accessible route between the 20 licensee’s residence and accredited nonpublic school of 21 enrollment regardless of the distance if the licensee receives 22 a distance waiver and carries a copy of the waiver while 23 operating the motor vehicle. 24 a. The parent or guardian of a licensee may apply for a 25 distance waiver by submitting an application to the chief 26 school administrator or superintendent of the licensee’s 27 accredited nonpublic school. 28 b. The chief school administrator or superintendent of the 29 licensee’s accredited nonpublic school may approve a distance 30 waiver application and, if approved, shall provide a tangible 31 copy of the waiver to the licensee. 32 EXPLANATION 33 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 34 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 35 -1- LSB 6677XC (2) 91 th/ns 1/ 2

S.F. _____ Under current law, a person between the ages of 14 and 1 18 holding a special minor’s restricted driver’s license 2 (licensee) is authorized to operate a motor vehicle without 3 supervision between certain approved locations, for certain 4 activities, during certain times, and up to 25 miles per 5 trip. A licensee is required to submit to the department of 6 transportation (DOT) a certification from the licensee’s school 7 certifying the licensee is enrolled at the school for courses 8 of instruction or extracurricular activities. 9 This bill authorizes a licensee to exceed the 25-mile 10 driving distance limit when driving from home to school if 11 the licensee is enrolled at an accredited nonpublic school 12 and receives a distance waiver. The parent or guardian of 13 a licensee is authorized to apply for a distance waiver by 14 submitting an application to the chief school administrator 15 or superintendent of the licensee’s accredited nonpublic 16 school. If the chief school administrator or superintendent 17 approves a distance waiver application, the administrator or 18 superintendent must provide a tangible copy of the waiver to 19 the licensee. The licensee must carry a copy of the waiver 20 while operating a motor vehicle in accordance with the special 21 minor’s restricted license. 22 A licensee who violates the restrictions of a special 23 minor’s restricted license commits a simple misdemeanor, 24 classified as a moving violation, punishable by a $70 scheduled 25 fine. Additionally, the DOT must suspend the license for three 26 months and is prohibited from issuing an intermediate license 27 to the person for an additional three months following the 28 person’s 16th birthday. 29 -2- LSB 6677XC (2) 91 th/ns 2/ 2