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IA SF38
IA SF38A bill for an act relating to the operation of railroad trains by a crew of two or more persons, and providing penalties.
summary
Introduced
01/14/2025
01/14/2025
In Committee
01/14/2025
01/14/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill requires a locomotive or railroad train operated by a class I rail carrier or class II rail carrier, when operating on a railroad track in connection with the movement of passengers or freight, to be operated by a crew consisting of at least two qualified railroad employees. The federal surface transportation board (STB) is an independent federal agency that is charged with the economic regulation of various modes of surface transportation including primarily freight rail. The STB has defined three classes of railway carriers, designated as class I, class II, and class III, respectively, according to annual revenue criteria. The STB threshold for a class I carrier includes a carrier earning revenue greater than $1,053,709,560. A class II carrier is a carrier earning revenue between $47,299,851 and $1,053,709,560. The bill provides that a railroad company found guilty of violating this requirement is subject to a penalty of not less than $500 and not more than $1,000 for a first offense, not less than $500 and not more than $5,000 for a second offense, and not less than $5,000 and not more than $10,000 for a third or subsequent offense. For purposes of determining whether a conviction is a first, second, or subsequent offense, the bill provides that only offenses committed within the three-year period prior to the most recent offense shall be considered.
AI Summary
This bill requires locomotives or railroad trains operated by Class I or Class II rail carriers to have a minimum crew of two qualified railroad employees when moving passengers or freight. Specifically, the bill mandates that these trains must be staffed with at least two trained railroad workers to ensure safer operations. The Surface Transportation Board (STB), an independent federal agency, defines rail carriers by annual revenue: Class I carriers earn over $1,053,709,560, while Class II carriers earn between $47,299,851 and $1,053,709,560. Penalties for violating this crew size requirement escalate with repeated offenses: the first violation incurs a "schedule three" penalty, and subsequent violations within three years result in a more severe "schedule five" penalty. Only offenses committed within the three years prior to the most recent violation will be considered when determining the penalty level, which provides a rolling window for assessing repeated violations and helps ensure consistent enforcement of the crew size requirement.
Committee Categories
Transportation and Infrastructure
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Subcommittee recommends passage. (on 01/29/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=SF38 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/SF38.html |
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