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Bill > HF506
IA HF506
IA HF506A bill for an act relating to the penalties for persons who operate a motor vehicle while their operating privileges are denied, canceled, suspended, revoked, or barred.
summary
Introduced
02/20/2025
02/20/2025
In Committee
02/20/2025
02/20/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
Under current law, a person who operates a motor vehicle while the person’s driver’s license or operating privilege is denied, canceled, suspended, or revoked under Code chapter 321 (motor vehicles and law of the road) or while the person’s driver’s license is suspended, denied, or revoked under Code chapter 321A (motor vehicle financial responsibility) commits a simple misdemeanor. These simple misdemeanors are punishable by confinement for no more than 30 days and a fine of at least $250 but not more than $1,500 (rather than the default simple misdemeanor fine range between $105 and $855). The sentence imposed for such a violation under Code chapter 321 cannot be suspended. If a person operates a motor vehicle while the person’s driver’s license is suspended, denied, revoked, or barred due to a violation of Code chapter 321J (operating while intoxicated (OWI)), the person commits a serious misdemeanor punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of $1,000 (rather than the default serious misdemeanor fine range between $430 and $2,560). This bill makes a first offense for operating a motor vehicle while the driver’s license is canceled (under Code chapter 321), or denied, suspended, or revoked (under Code chapters 321, 321A, and 321J), or barred (under Code chapter 321J), a scheduled violation under Code section 805.8A. The scheduled fine for such a violation is $250. The bill makes a second violation a simple misdemeanor and a third or subsequent violation a serious misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than 30 days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560. The bill also strikes the prohibition on suspending the sentence under Code section 321.218. In accordance with current law (Code sections 805.6 through 805.11), a uniform citation and complaint, and associated procedures, is authorized for charging traffic violations and other violations which are designated as scheduled violations by Code section 805.8A (motor vehicle and transportation scheduled violations), 805.8B (navigation, recreation, hunting, and fishing scheduled violations), or 805.8C (miscellaneous scheduled violations). The underlying driver’s license sanction of a person convicted for driving while denied, canceled, suspended, revoked, or barred under the bill would be extended in accordance with current law.
AI Summary
This bill modifies the penalties for driving with a suspended, canceled, denied, revoked, or barred driver's license across multiple Iowa Code chapters, introducing a graduated penalty system. Under the new provisions, a first offense for driving with a suspended or revoked license would be treated as a scheduled violation with a $250 fine, essentially creating a more standardized and potentially less punitive initial penalty. Subsequent offenses would escalate in severity: a second offense would be considered a simple misdemeanor, which can include up to 30 days in jail and fines between $105 and $855, while a third or subsequent offense would become a serious misdemeanor, carrying potential penalties of up to one year in jail and fines between $430 and $2,560. The bill applies these graduated penalties to different scenarios, including driving with a license suspended under motor vehicle regulations (Chapter 321), financial responsibility laws (Chapter 321A), and operating while intoxicated (OWI) violations (Chapter 321J). Additionally, the bill removes previous language that prohibited suspending sentences for such offenses, potentially providing more judicial discretion in sentencing. This approach aims to create a more structured and progressive penalty system for driving-related license violations.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (3)
Last Action
House Public Safety Committee (09:00:00 3/5/2025 RM 19) (on 03/05/2025)
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=HF506 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF506.html |
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