House File 528 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 528 BY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY (SUCCESSOR TO HF 231) A BILL FOR An Act relating to reckless driving and excessive speed, and 1 making penalties applicable. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1089HV (1) 91 th/ns
H.F. 528 Section 1. Section 321.277, subsection 1, Code 2025, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. A person who drives any a vehicle in such manner as 3 to indicate either a willful or a wanton disregard for the 4 safety of persons or property , including but not limited to by 5 exceeding a speed limit by twenty-five miles per hour or more, 6 is guilty of reckless driving. 7 EXPLANATION 8 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 9 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 10 Under current law, driving in excess of the speed limit is a 11 simple misdemeanor punishable by a scheduled fine based on the 12 excessive speed, ranging from $30 to $135 plus $5 for each mile 13 per hour (MPH) of excessive speed over 20 MPH over the limit, 14 with increased fines for violations in road work zones. 15 Also under current law, a person who drives a vehicle in such 16 manner as to indicate either a willful or a wanton disregard 17 for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless 18 driving, in violation of Code section 321.277. A person 19 convicted for reckless driving commits a simple misdemeanor. 20 A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more 21 than 30 days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855. 22 This bill provides that exceeding the speed limit by 25 MPH 23 or more is reckless driving. 24 By operation of law, a person who drives recklessly in 25 violation of Code section 321.277, as amended by the bill, 26 commits a class C felony if the violation unintentionally 27 causes the death of another, and commits a class D felony 28 if the violation unintentionally causes a serious injury (see 29 Code section 707.6A homicide or serious injury by vehicle). 30 Under current law, Code section 707.6A also applies if a 31 person, other than a member of a public safety agency, exceeds 32 the posted speed limit by 25 MPH or more and unintentionally 33 causes death or serious injury, if the speeding violation is 34 the proximate cause of the death or injury. 35 -1- LSB 1089HV (1) 91 th/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 528 A class C felony is punishable by confinement for no more 1 than 10 years and a fine of at least $1,370 but not more than 2 $13,660. A class D felony is punishable by confinement for 3 no more than five years and a fine of at least $1,025 but not 4 more than $10,245. 5 -2- LSB 1089HV (1) 91 th/ns 2/ 2