Senate File 51 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to lighted lamps on bicycles and bicycle
2riders, making penalties applicable, and including effective
3date provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1   Section 1.  Section 321.385A, Code 2019, is amended to read
2as follows:
   3321.385A  Citation for unlighted headlamp, rear lamp, or rear
4registration plate light, or bicycle lamp.
   51.  a.  A citation issued for failure to have headlamps
6as required under section 321.385 shall first provide for a
7seventy-two hour seventy-two-hour period within which the
8person charged with the violation shall replace or repair the
9headlamp.
   10b.  A citation issued for failure to have rear lamps as
11required under section 321.387 or a rear registration plate
12light as required under section 321.388 shall first provide for
13a seventy-two hour seventy-two-hour period within which the
14person charged with the violation shall replace or repair the
15lamps or light.
   16c.  A citation issued for failure to have a front or rear
17lamp on a bicycle or on a bicycle rider as required under
18section 321.397 shall first provide for a seventy-two-hour
19period within which the person charged with the violation shall
20replace or repair the lamp.
   212.  If the person complies with the directive to replace
22or repair the headlamp, rear lamps, or rear registration
23plate light, or bicycle lamp within the allotted time period,
24the citation shall be expunged. If the person fails to
25comply within the allotted time period, the citation shall be
26processed in the same manner as other citations.
   273.  A citation issued under this section shall include
28a written notice of replacement or repair which shall
29indicate the date of replacement or repair and the manner in
30which the replacement or repair occurred and which shall be
31returned to the issuing authority within the seventy-two hour
32
 seventy-two-hour time period.
33   Sec. 2.  Section 321.397, Code 2019, is amended to read as
34follows:
   35321.397  Lamps on bicycles.
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   1Every At the times specified in section 321.384, every
2 bicycle or bicycle rider shall be equipped with a lamp on
3the front exhibiting a white light, at the times specified
4in section 321.384,
visible from a distance of at least
5three hundred feet to the front and with a lamp on the rear
6exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of three hundred
7feet to the rear; except that a red reflector may be used in
8lieu of a rear light
. A peace officer riding a police bicycle
9is not required to use either front or rear lamps if duty so
10requires.
11   Sec. 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect January 1,
122020.
13EXPLANATION
14The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
15the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   16Current law requires a bicycle to have a front lighted lamp
17and either a rear lighted lamp or a rear reflector at any time
18from sunset to sunrise, and at such other times when conditions
19such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide insufficient lighting
20to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the
21highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead.
   22This bill requires every bicycle or bicycle rider to have a
23front and rear lighted lamp during the stated periods of time,
24and strikes the provision allowing a bicycle or bicycle rider
25to equip a rear reflector in lieu of the rear lighted lamp. The
26scheduled fine for violating this provision is $25. However,
27the bill provides that a citation issued for failure to have
28a front lamp or rear lamp on a bicycle or on a bicycle rider
29must first provide for a 72-hour period within which the person
30charged with the violation shall replace or repair the lamp.
31If the person complies with the directive to replace or repair
32the lamp, the citation must be expunged.
   33The bill takes effect January 1, 2020.
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