HF 387 – Motor truck distances
HF 499 – Maximum capacity for vehicles operated by a school
HF 643 – Driver’s licenses for the deaf
SF 629 – Excessive-weight vehicles carrying raw forest products
FLOOR ACTION:
HF 387 – Motor truck distances
HF 387 repeals two sections of the Code relating to following distance of certain vehicles. Under current law, motor trucks and motor vehicles drawing another vehicle are prohibited from following within 300 feet of another motor truck or motor vehicle drawing another vehicle. This bill strikes these requirements and the related penalties.
[4/18: 49-0 (Excused: Guth)]
HF 499 – Maximum capacity for vehicles operated by a school
HF 499 exempts any motor vehicles designed to carry no more than 11 passengers from the definition of a “school bus.” Current law allows no more than nine passengers.
[4/22: 49-0 (Excused: Segebart)]
HF 643 – Driver’s licenses for the deaf
HF 643 allows a deaf or hard-of-hearing person to request that their driver’s license reflect that status on the face of the license when they apply for issuance or renewal. The bill authorizes the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) to adopt rules for marking the licenses. Once marked, the licenses must be noted in the electronic database used by the DOT and law enforcement. The bill also instructs the DOT to work with the Commission of Deaf Services to develop educational media to raise awareness about the ability to request such a mark on a license.
[4/18: 49-0 (Excused: Mathis)]
SF 629 – Excessive-weight vehicles carrying raw forest products
SF 629 requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop and implement a single statewide system to receive applications for and issue permits that allow for the operation of vehicles of excessive size or weight on highways or streets under the jurisdiction of the state or local authorities. The bill authorizes the DOT to determine, in consultation with the applicable local authorities, the network of highways and streets under the jurisdiction of local authorities, including the appropriate routes, on which vehicles issued permits under the system are authorized to operate. Permits issued under the system must be issued by the DOT for a fee established by the DOT by rule, which fees must be proportionate to the fees set forth in Code section 321E.14. The bill requires the DOT to allocate a portion of the fees collected to local authorities having jurisdiction over highways or streets on which vehicles issued permits under the system are authorized to operate.
The DOT must submit a report to the Legislature by December 31, 2021, regarding the development and implementation of the system.
The bill allows the DOT to issue annual permits authorizing a vehicle or combination of vehicles to transport divisible loads of raw forest products from fields to storage, processing or other commercial facilities. The annual permit fee is $175. A vehicle or combination of vehicles for which a permit is issued under the bill may exceed the maximum weights set forth under Code section 321.463 if the gross weight on any one axle does not exceed the limitations specified in Code section 321E.7. Code section 321E.7 limits the gross weight on any one axle to 20,000 pounds and the gross weight on any one tandem axle having at least four tires to 46,000 pounds. The bill prohibits a vehicle or combination of vehicles issued such a permit from exceeding the size limitations set forth in Code sections 321.454 through 321.457. The bill also prohibits a vehicle or combination of vehicles for which a permit is issued under the bill from traveling on any portion of the interstate highway system. The bill provides that such a permit issued by the DOT is valid for operation on non-primary highways if the local authority having jurisdiction over the non-primary highway has approved the route within the local authority’s jurisdiction used by the vehicle or combination of vehicles traveling under the permit.
[4/22: 37-12 (No: Celsi, Greene, Hogg, Miller-Meeks, Nunn, Quirmbach, Schultz, Segebart, Sinclair, J. Smith, R. Taylor, Zaun; Excused: Petersen)]