Senate File 568 - Introduced SENATE FILE 568 BY COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1187) (COMPANION TO HF 394 BY LOHSE) A BILL FOR An Act relating to certain state highways not designated as 1 part of the interstate road system, including the operation 2 of implements of husbandry on such highways, making 3 appropriations, and including applicability provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1322SV (1) 91 th/ns
S.F. 568 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 314.16A Interstate road designation 1 prohibition. 2 The department of transportation and the state 3 transportation commission shall not pursue an interstate 4 road designation for the segment of highway that is a 5 controlled-access facility, as defined in section 306A.2, 6 designated as state highway 5 and United States highway 65, 7 including where the highway designations overlap, between 8 interstate 35 and interstate 80, unless the United States 9 government provides an exemption to federal regulations 10 regarding vehicle weight and size on that segment. The federal 11 exemption must authorize any vehicle that is not prohibited 12 from being operated on the segment prior to the date of 13 designation as an interstate road to continue to be operated on 14 the segment after designation as an interstate road. 15 Sec. 2. Section 321.285, subsection 5, paragraph e, Code 16 2025, is amended to read as follows: 17 e. (1) Any kind of A vehicle, device, implement, or 18 conveyance incapable of attaining and maintaining a speed 19 of forty miles per hour shall be prohibited from using the 20 interstate road system. 21 (2) This paragraph does not apply to an implement of 22 husbandry that a person is authorized to operate on the segment 23 of United States highway 65, and state highway 5, including 24 where the highway designations overlap, between the highways 25 intersection with United States highway 6 and the highways 26 intersection with United States highway 69, or farther west 27 if authorized by the department, prior to the date that 28 segment of highway is designated a part of the interstate 29 road system, if the segment of highway is designated a part 30 of the interstate road system. The department may authorize 31 an implement of husbandry to be operated on a segment of the 32 highway described above farther west beyond the intersection 33 with United States highway 69. This subparagraph is repealed 34 on the date an alternative route for implements of husbandry is 35 -1- LSB 1322SV (1) 91 th/ns 1/ 3
S.F. 568 developed, deemed suitable by the department of transportation 1 in consultation with the department of agriculture and land 2 stewardship, and opened for traffic to bypass the segment of 3 the interstate road system described in this subparagraph. The 4 department of transportation shall notify the Iowa Code editor 5 on that date. 6 Sec. 3. ALTERNATIVE HIGHWAY STUDY APPROPRIATION. There 7 is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the 8 department of transportation for the fiscal year beginning July 9 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, the following amount, or so 10 much thereof as is necessary, for the department to conduct 11 an alternative highway study to develop and implement an 12 accessible highway route suitable for implements of husbandry 13 to be operated alongside, but not directly on, the segment of 14 United States highway 65, and state highway 5, including where 15 the highway designations overlap, between United States highway 16 6 and United States highway 69: 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 250,000 18 Sec. 4. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to the segment 19 of the highway known as United States highway 65, and state 20 highway 5, including where the highway designations overlap, 21 described in this Act on the effective date of this Act, 22 and shall apply to that segment of the highway thereafter 23 regardless of whether the highways designation as United 24 States highway 65, or state highway 5, including where the 25 highway designations overlap, is subsequently changed by the 26 state transportation commission, department of transportation, 27 or the government of the United States. 28 EXPLANATION 29 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 30 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 31 Under current law, any kind of vehicle, implement, or 32 conveyance incapable of attaining and maintaining a speed of 40 33 miles per hour (MPH) is prohibited from using the interstate 34 road system. 35 -2- LSB 1322SV (1) 91 th/ns 2/ 3
S.F. 568 This bill provides a conditional exception to that 1 prohibition. If an implement of husbandry may be operated 2 on the segment of the highway known as U.S. highway 65, and 3 state highway 5, including where the highway designations 4 overlap (segment), between the highways intersection with U.S. 5 highway 6 and the highways intersection with U.S. highway 69, 6 prior to the date the segment becomes part of the interstate 7 road system, then the implement of husbandry may continue to 8 be operated on that segment until an alternative route for 9 implements of husbandry is made available. The department of 10 transportation (DOT) may authorize an implement of husbandry to 11 be operated on the segment farther west beyond the intersection 12 with U.S. highway 69. 13 Under current law, an implement of husbandry means a 14 vehicle or special mobile equipment manufactured, designed, 15 or reconstructed for agricultural purposes and, except 16 for incidental uses, is exclusively used in the conduct of 17 agricultural operations. To be considered an implement of 18 husbandry, a self-propelled qualifying vehicle must be operated 19 at speeds of 35 MPH or less. 20 The bill prohibits the DOT and the state transportation 21 commission from pursuing an interstate road designation for 22 the segment extending between the segments intersections with 23 interstate 35 and interstate 80 unless the U.S. government 24 provides an exemption from federal regulations regarding 25 vehicle weight and size on that segment, as described in the 26 bill. 27 The bill appropriates moneys from the general fund of the 28 state to the DOT to conduct an alternative highway study to 29 develop and implement an accessible alternative highway route 30 suitable for implements of husbandry. 31 The bill applies to the segment on the effective date of the 32 bill, and will continue to apply to the segment regardless of 33 whether the highways designation is subsequently changed. 34 -3- LSB 1322SV (1) 91 th/ns 3/ 3