Bill Text: IA HF2015 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the suspension of fines assessed for operating-while-intoxicated offenses.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-15 - Introduced, referred to Public Safety. H.J. 68. [HF2015 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2019-HF2015-Introduced.html
House File 2015 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2015 BY WOLFE A BILL FOR An Act relating to the suspension of fines assessed for 1 operating-while-intoxicated offenses. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5061HH (2) 88 mo/ns
H.F. 2015 Section 1. Section 321J.2, subsection 3, paragraph c, 1 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2020, is amended to read as 2 follows: 3 Assessment of a fine of one thousand two hundred fifty 4 dollars. However, in the discretion of the court, if no 5 personal or property injury has resulted from the defendant’s 6 actions, the court may waive up to six hundred twenty-five 7 dollars of the fine when the defendant presents to the court 8 a temporary restricted license issued pursuant to section 9 321J.20 . 10 Sec. 2. Section 462A.14, subsection 2, paragraph a, 11 subparagraph (2), Code 2020, is amended to read as follows: 12 (2) Assessment of a fine of one thousand dollars. However, 13 in the discretion of the court, if no personal or property 14 injury has resulted from the defendant’s actions, up to five 15 hundred dollars of the fine may be waived. As an alternative 16 to a portion or all of the fine, the court may order the person 17 to perform unpaid community service. 18 Sec. 3. Section 907.3, subsection 3, paragraph c, 19 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2020, is amended to read as 20 follows: 21 A mandatory minimum sentence of incarceration imposed 22 pursuant to a violation of section 321J.2, subsection 1 ; 23 furthermore, the court shall not suspend any part of a sentence 24 not involving incarceration imposed pursuant to section 321J.2, 25 subsection 3, 4, or 5 , other than an assessed fine, beyond the 26 mandatory minimum if any of the following apply: 27 Sec. 4. Section 907.3, subsection 3, paragraph f, Code 2020, 28 is amended to read as follows: 29 f. A mandatory minimum sentence or fine imposed for a 30 violation of section 462A.14 , other than an assessed fine . 31 EXPLANATION 32 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 33 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 34 Current law provides that a defendant who is convicted of 35 -1- LSB 5061HH (2) 88 mo/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 2015 a first, second, third, or subsequent offense of operating a 1 motor vehicle, motorboat, or sailboat while intoxicated must be 2 assessed a fine of varying amounts depending on the offense. 3 If a defendant commits a first offense of operating a motor 4 vehicle, motorboat, or sailboat while intoxicated, the court 5 may waive up to half of the assessed fine if no personal or 6 property injury resulted from the offense, or may order a 7 defendant to perform unpaid community service as an alternative 8 to a portion or all of the fine. Under Code section 901.5(3), 9 a court may suspend execution of a sentence or any part of the 10 sentence, including a fine, in accordance with Code chapter 11 907. Under Code section 907.3, a court is prohibited from 12 suspending a fine imposed for operating a motor vehicle, 13 motorboat, or sailboat while intoxicated beyond the mandatory 14 minimum. 15 This bill strikes the provisions allowing a court to waive up 16 to half of the fine for a first offense and amends Code section 17 907.3 to allow a court to suspend any amount of a fine assessed 18 for a first, second, third, or subsequent offense of operating 19 a motor vehicle, motorboat, or sailboat while intoxicated. 20 -2- LSB 5061HH (2) 88 mo/ns 2/ 2
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