House File 3 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 3 BY STONE A BILL FOR An Act relating to the collection of fines issued for excessive 1 speed violations detected by an automated or remote system 2 for traffic law enforcement, and including applicability 3 provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1079YH (4) 91 th/ns
H.F. 3 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 321P.7A Restrictions on collection 1 of fines. 2 1. A local authority shall not enter into or renew a 3 contract with a third party to collect a fine issued for a 4 violation detected by a system. 5 2. An unpaid fine issued for a violation detected by a 6 system shall not be considered qualifying debt under section 7 421.65 and is not subject to the setoff procedures provided for 8 in section 421.65. 9 Sec. 2. APPLICABILITY. 10 1. Section 321P.7A, subsection 1, as enacted by this Act, 11 applies to contracts entered into or renewed on or after the 12 effective date of this Act. 13 2. Section 321P.7A, subsection 2, as enacted by this Act, 14 applies to fines that are unpaid on or after the effective date 15 of this Act, regardless of the date of issuance. 16 EXPLANATION 17 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 18 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 19 Under current law, a local authority that was issued a 20 permit to use an automated or remote system for traffic law 21 enforcement (system) in accordance with Code chapter 321P 22 (automated traffic enforcement) is authorized to issue a 23 citation to the owner of a vehicle if the vehicle exceeds 24 the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour (MPH) and the 25 violation is detected by the system. The maximum fine for 26 violations varies from $70 (11 to 20 MPH over the limit) to 27 $1,000 (greater than 30 MPH over the limit in a road work 28 zone). A violation detected by a system is a civil infraction 29 and cannot be considered by the department of transportation 30 for purposes of driver’s license sanctions or by an insurer for 31 purposes of a person’s automobile insurance rates. The fine 32 must be a civil penalty. 33 This bill prohibits a local authority from contracting with 34 a third party to collect a fine issued for a violation detected 35 -1- LSB 1079YH (4) 91 th/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 3 by a system. This provision applies to contracts entered into 1 or renewed on or after the effective date of the bill. 2 In addition, the bill excludes such fines from the setoff 3 procedures provided for in Code section 421.65. Under current 4 law, the setoff procedures authorize the department of revenue 5 to establish and maintain a procedure to set off against each 6 public payment, including a tax refund, any qualifying debt a 7 person owes to a public agency, including a local authority. 8 This provision applies to fines that are unpaid on or after the 9 effective date of the bill, regardless of the date of issuance. 10 -2- LSB 1079YH (4) 91 th/ns 2/ 2