Bill Text: IA HF529 | 2023-2024 | 90th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the removal of vehicles or debris from highways, including payment of associated costs and blue lights on involved towing or recovery vehicles.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-11 - Subcommittee recommends passage. Vote Total: 3-0. [HF529 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2023-HF529-Introduced.html
House
File
529
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
529
BY
JENEARY
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
the
removal
of
vehicles
or
debris
from
1
highways,
including
payment
of
associated
costs
and
blue
2
lights
on
involved
towing
or
recovery
vehicles.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
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2190YH
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th/ns
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529
Section
1.
Section
321.371,
Code
2023,
is
amended
by
adding
1
the
following
new
subsection:
2
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
1A.
A
person
who
is
at
fault
for
causing
3
the
crash,
collision,
or
other
circumstance
that
resulted
in
4
the
wrecked
or
damaged
vehicle
on
the
highway
is
liable
for
5
all
costs
associated
with
removing
the
vehicle,
glass,
and
6
other
injurious
substance
from
the
highway,
as
described
in
7
subsection
1.
The
costs
shall
be
paid
by
the
person
or
by
the
8
person’s
insurance
company
pursuant
to
the
person’s
insurance
9
policy.
10
Sec.
2.
Section
321.423,
subsection
3,
paragraph
a,
Code
11
2023,
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
subparagraph:
12
NEW
SUBPARAGRAPH
.
(6)
A
towing
or
recovery
vehicle,
13
regardless
of
whether
the
vehicle
is
an
authorized
emergency
14
vehicle,
while
being
used
to
clear
a
vehicle
or
debris
from
a
15
highway.
16
Sec.
3.
Section
321.423,
subsection
3,
paragraph
b,
Code
17
2023,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
18
b.
A
person
shall
not
use
only
a
blue
light
on
a
vehicle
19
unless
the
vehicle
meets
the
requirements
of
paragraph
“a”
,
20
subparagraph
(1),
(2),
or
(3)
,
or
(6)
.
21
Sec.
4.
Section
515.48,
subsection
1,
paragraph
a,
22
subparagraph
(8),
Code
2023,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
23
(8)
Loss
or
damage
caused
by
railroad
equipment,
motor
24
vehicles,
airplanes,
seaplanes,
dirigibles,
or
other
aircraft
,
25
including
but
not
limited
to
removal
of
vehicles,
glass,
or
26
other
injurious
substance
from
a
highway
as
described
in
27
section
321.371
.
28
EXPLANATION
29
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
30
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
31
Under
current
law,
any
person
removing
a
wrecked
or
damaged
32
vehicle
from
a
highway
must
remove
any
glass
or
other
injurious
33
substance
dropped
upon
the
highway
from
such
vehicle.
A
person
34
who
fails
to
do
so
commits
a
simple
misdemeanor
punishable
by
a
35
-1-
LSB
2190YH
(2)
90
th/ns
1/
2
H.F.
529
scheduled
fine
of
$35.
This
bill
provides
that
the
person
at
1
fault
is
liable
for
all
costs
associated
with
the
removal.
The
2
costs
must
be
paid
by
the
person
or
by
the
person’s
insurance
3
company.
By
operation
of
law,
a
person
who
does
not
pay
for
the
4
removal
as
required
commits
a
simple
misdemeanor
punishable
by
5
a
scheduled
fine
of
$35.
6
The
bill
includes
removal
of
vehicles,
glass,
or
other
7
injurious
substances
left
upon
the
highway
after
a
wreck
as
8
“loss
or
damage”
that
may
be
insured
under
Code
section
515.48.
9
Under
current
law,
a
towing
or
recovery
vehicle
is
10
authorized
to
display
a
flashing
amber
light.
However,
such
a
11
vehicle
may
be
designated
as
an
authorized
emergency
vehicle,
12
in
which
case
the
vehicle
is
authorized
to
display
red
and
blue
13
lights.
The
bill
provides
that
such
vehicles,
regardless
of
14
whether
the
vehicle
is
an
authorized
emergency
vehicle,
may
15
display
solid
or
flashing
blue
lights
when
being
used
to
clear
16
a
vehicle
or
debris
from
a
highway.
Code
section
321.1
defines
17
“towing
or
recovery
vehicle”
as
a
motor
vehicle
equipped
with
18
booms,
winches,
slings,
or
wheel
lifts
used
to
tow,
recover,
or
19
transport
other
motor
vehicles.
20
Under
current
law,
a
violation
of
Code
section
321.423
21
(flashing
lights)
is
punishable
by
a
scheduled
fine
of
$45.
22
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2190YH
(2)
90
th/ns
2/
2
