SF 474 –Crossing against a railroad gate or signal
SF 388 – Iowa Patriots Memorial Highway
SF 478 – Lightening devices on authorized emergency vehicles
SF 473 –Motor vehicle taxes and fees on electric vehicles
COMMITTEE ACTION:
SF 474 –Crossing against a railroad gate or signal
SF 474/SF295 states that a driver who crosses a railroad grade when the crossing gate is lowered and in an established quiet zone faces a violation punishable by a fine of $400. In lieu of the fine, the person may at their own expense attend and successfully complete a driver improvement program approved by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).
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SF 388 – Iowa Patriots Memorial Highway
SF 388 renames U.S. Highway 20, which runs between Dubuque to Sioux City, “Iowa Patriots Memorial Highway.” The DOT may erect signs on or adjacent to the highway indicating the designation.
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SF 389 –Left-lane camping
SF 389 prohibits a vehicle from operating in the left-most lane of a roadway when the driver knows that another vehicle is overtaking them from the rear. Exceptions are given to emergency or road maintenance vehicles and to all vehicles when traffic conditions, weather, obstructions or hazards make it necessary to operate in the left-most lane. The bill applies to operating motor vehicles on roadways having two or more lanes traveling in one direction. Violation of the bill is punishable by $100 fine.
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SF 478 – Lightening devices on authorized emergency vehicles
SF 478/SSB 1047 allows authorized emergency vehicles to be equipped with flashing headlamps, red and blue lights, flashing or solid white lights, split red and blue steady or flashing lights and light bars containing one or more rear zone amber lights or amber directional arrows. Also, an incident command vehicle may be equipped with one or more steady or flashing green lights. Towing or recovery vehicles, unless owned by the state or municipality, are prohibited from having red and blue light and a siren.
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SF 473 –Motor vehicle taxes and fees on electric vehicles
SF 473/SSB 1208, effective January 1, 2020, assesses an annual electric motor vehicle battery registration fee of $130, which is in addition to the regular annual fee imposed on the vehicle. Plug-in hybrid electric motor vehicles are subject to a $65 annual fee, and motorcycles that are either battery or plug-in are assessed an additional $9. The bill imposes an excise tax of 65 cents per gallon on hydrogen used as a special fuel in motor vehicles, and specifies that a diesel gallon equivalent of hydrogen is 2.49 pounds. Additionally, it imposes an excise tax of 2.6 cents on each kilowatt hour of electric fuel delivered or placed into the battery or energy storage device at any location in the state other than a residence. All charging stations must be metered, inspected, tested for accuracy, and sealed and licensed by the Department of Agriculture. All excise tax revenues are credited to the Road Use Tax Fund; 0.15 cents per kilowatt hour must be credited to the Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy Fund; and 0.02 cents per kilowatt hour must go to the Secondary Road Fund, in accordance with similar provisions for other types of fuel. The bill exempts electric fuel from the state sales and use tax and the local option tax.
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