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House File 2037 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to lamps and clothing required for the
2operation of bicycles, providing penalties, and making
3penalties applicable.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 321.385A, Code 2020, 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 2020, is amended to read as
34follows:
35321.397 Lamps on bicycles.
-1- 1Every At any time from sunset to sunrise, a bicycle shall
2be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a steady
3or flashing white light, at the times specified in section
4321.384, visible from a distance of at least three hundred
5feet to the front, and every bicycle or bicycle rider shall
6be equipped with a lamp on the rear exhibiting a steady or
7flashing red light visible from a distance of three hundred
8feet to the rear; except that a red reflector may be used in
9lieu of a rear light. A peace officer riding a police bicycle
10is not required to use either front or rear lamps if duty so
11requires.
12 Sec. 3. Section 321.423, subsection 2, Code 2020, is amended
13by adding the following new paragraph:
14 NEW PARAGRAPH. k. A flashing white or red light equipped on
15a bicycle operating on a highway pursuant to section 321.397
16is permitted.
17 Sec. 4. Section 321.423, subsection 7, paragraph a,
18unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2020, is amended to read as
19follows:
20Except as provided in section 321.373, subsection 7, and
21subsection 2, paragraphs “c”, and “i”, and “k” of this section,
22a flashing white light shall only be used on a vehicle in the
23following circumstances:
24 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 321.434A Bicycle riders —
25high-visibility or reflective clothing required.
26A person riding a bicycle on a highway with a speed limit of
27forty-five miles per hour or more, other than for the purpose
28of crossing the highway at a crosswalk, shall wear clothing
29and equipment which together contain at least one hundred
30forty-four square inches of high-visibility or reflective
31material visible to the rear of the bicycle. This section
32does not apply to a person riding a bicycle as part of an
33organized bicycle riding event involving five hundred or more
34bicycle riders at which one or more certified peace officers
35are providing traffic control and direction.
-2-1 Sec. 6. Section 805.8A, subsection 9, Code 2020, is amended
2by adding the following new paragraph:
3 NEW PARAGRAPH. l. Section 321.434A$ 25.
4EXPLANATION
5The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
6the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
7Current law requires a bicycle to have a front lighted
8lamp and either a rear lighted lamp or a rear reflector at
9any time from sunset to sunrise, and at such other times
10when conditions such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide
11insufficient lighting to render clearly discernible persons and
12vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead. This
13bill instead requires that, from sunset to sunrise, a bicycle
14must be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a steady
15or flashing white light visible from a distance of at least 300
16feet to the front, and every bicycle or bicycle rider must be
17equipped with a lamp exhibiting a steady or flashing red light
18visible from a distance of 300 feet to the rear.
19The scheduled fine for a violation of this provision is $25.
20However, the bill provides that a citation issued for failure
21to have a front or rear lamp on a bicycle or on a bicycle rider
22must first provide for a 72-hour period within which the person
23charged with the violation can replace or repair the lamp. If
24the person complies with the directive to replace or repair the
25bicycle lamp, the citation must be expunged.
26The bill requires a person riding a bicycle on a highway
27with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or more, other than
28for the purpose of crossing the highway at a crosswalk, to
29wear clothing and equipment which together contain at least
30144 square inches of high-visibility or reflective material
31visible to the rear of the bicycle. The scheduled fine for a
32violation of this provision is $25. The bill provides that
33the provision does not apply to a person riding a bicycle as
34part of an organized bicycle riding event involving 500 or more
35bicycle riders at which one or more certified peace officers
-3-1are providing traffic control and direction.
-4-mo/ns
2operation of bicycles, providing penalties, and making
3penalties applicable.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 321.385A, Code 2020, 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 2020, is amended to read as
34follows:
35321.397 Lamps on bicycles.
-1- 1Every At any time from sunset to sunrise, a bicycle shall
2be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a steady
3or flashing white light, at the times specified in section
4321.384, visible from a distance of at least three hundred
5feet to the front, and every bicycle or bicycle rider shall
6be equipped with a lamp on the rear exhibiting a steady or
7flashing red light visible from a distance of three hundred
8feet to the rear; except that a red reflector may be used in
9lieu of a rear light. A peace officer riding a police bicycle
10is not required to use either front or rear lamps if duty so
11requires.
12 Sec. 3. Section 321.423, subsection 2, Code 2020, is amended
13by adding the following new paragraph:
14 NEW PARAGRAPH. k. A flashing white or red light equipped on
15a bicycle operating on a highway pursuant to section 321.397
16is permitted.
17 Sec. 4. Section 321.423, subsection 7, paragraph a,
18unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2020, is amended to read as
19follows:
20Except as provided in section 321.373, subsection 7, and
21subsection 2, paragraphs “c”, and “i”, and “k” of this section,
22a flashing white light shall only be used on a vehicle in the
23following circumstances:
24 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 321.434A Bicycle riders —
25high-visibility or reflective clothing required.
26A person riding a bicycle on a highway with a speed limit of
27forty-five miles per hour or more, other than for the purpose
28of crossing the highway at a crosswalk, shall wear clothing
29and equipment which together contain at least one hundred
30forty-four square inches of high-visibility or reflective
31material visible to the rear of the bicycle. This section
32does not apply to a person riding a bicycle as part of an
33organized bicycle riding event involving five hundred or more
34bicycle riders at which one or more certified peace officers
35are providing traffic control and direction.
-2-1 Sec. 6. Section 805.8A, subsection 9, Code 2020, is amended
2by adding the following new paragraph:
3 NEW PARAGRAPH. l. Section 321.434A$ 25.
4EXPLANATION
5The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
6the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
7Current law requires a bicycle to have a front lighted
8lamp and either a rear lighted lamp or a rear reflector at
9any time from sunset to sunrise, and at such other times
10when conditions such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide
11insufficient lighting to render clearly discernible persons and
12vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead. This
13bill instead requires that, from sunset to sunrise, a bicycle
14must be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a steady
15or flashing white light visible from a distance of at least 300
16feet to the front, and every bicycle or bicycle rider must be
17equipped with a lamp exhibiting a steady or flashing red light
18visible from a distance of 300 feet to the rear.
19The scheduled fine for a violation of this provision is $25.
20However, the bill provides that a citation issued for failure
21to have a front or rear lamp on a bicycle or on a bicycle rider
22must first provide for a 72-hour period within which the person
23charged with the violation can replace or repair the lamp. If
24the person complies with the directive to replace or repair the
25bicycle lamp, the citation must be expunged.
26The bill requires a person riding a bicycle on a highway
27with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour or more, other than
28for the purpose of crossing the highway at a crosswalk, to
29wear clothing and equipment which together contain at least
30144 square inches of high-visibility or reflective material
31visible to the rear of the bicycle. The scheduled fine for a
32violation of this provision is $25. The bill provides that
33the provision does not apply to a person riding a bicycle as
34part of an organized bicycle riding event involving 500 or more
35bicycle riders at which one or more certified peace officers
-3-1are providing traffic control and direction.
-4-mo/ns