Senate File 24 - Introduced SENATE FILE 24 BY SHIPLEY A BILL FOR An Act relating to the closure of railway crossings for repairs 1 or upgrades, and providing penalties. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1881XS (5) 91 th/ns
S.F. 24 Section 1. Section 327G.25, Code 2025, is amended to read 1 as follows: 2 327G.25 Closing of crossing for repair or upgrade. 3 1. A railway railroad corporation shall not close a railway 4 crossing to the traveling public for more than thirty twenty 5 consecutive days for the purpose of repairing or upgrading the 6 crossing. 7 2. Before closing a railway crossing, a railroad 8 corporation shall provide notice to the county board of 9 supervisors or city council that has jurisdiction over the 10 crossing detailing the work to be completed, the expected date 11 the work will be completed, and the procedures the corporation 12 will use to close and reopen the crossing. 13 3. Notwithstanding subsection 1, the county board of 14 supervisors or city council that has jurisdiction over a 15 closed crossing may agree that a crossing may be closed for an 16 additional twenty consecutive days. A railroad corporation 17 seeking to extend the closure of a crossing shall provide 18 notice to the applicable board or council detailing the 19 remaining work to be completed, the expected date the remaining 20 work will be completed, and the procedures the corporation will 21 use to reopen the crossing. Such notice shall be provided by 22 the railroad corporation no later than the seventeenth day 23 after the crossing was closed. 24 4. A railway railroad corporation violating this section 25 shall, upon conviction, be subject to a schedule one four 26 penalty under section 327C.5 for each day a crossing is closed 27 after the number of days allowed in subsection 1 or 3, as 28 applicable . 29 EXPLANATION 30 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 31 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 32 Current law prohibits a railroad corporation from closing 33 a railway crossing for more than 30 days for the purpose of 34 repairing or upgrading the crossing, and a corporation that 35 -1- LSB 1881XS (5) 91 th/ns 1/ 2
S.F. 24 violates Code section 327G.25 is subject to a $100 penalty. 1 This bill prohibits a railroad corporation from closing 2 a railway crossing for more than 20 consecutive days for 3 the purpose of repairing or upgrading the crossing, and a 4 corporation is subject to a penalty of not less than $500 nor 5 more than $5,000 for each day a crossing is closed after the 6 number of days allowed in the bill. 7 The bill requires a railroad corporation to provide notice 8 about an upcoming crossing closure to the county board of 9 supervisors or city council that has jurisdiction over the 10 crossing, prior to closing the crossing. A county board of 11 supervisors or city council is authorized to extend the closure 12 of a crossing for an additional 20 consecutive days if a 13 railroad corporation provides notice. 14 -2- LSB 1881XS (5) 91 th/ns 2/ 2