Bill Text: IA SSB1037 | 2025-2026 | 91st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to state driver's license requirements for certain persons with a military driver's license.(See SF 152.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-28 - Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 152. [SSB1037 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2025-SSB1037-Introduced.html
Senate
Study
Bill
1037
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
_____
BY
(PROPOSED
COMMITTEE
ON
VETERANS
AFFAIRS
BILL
BY
CHAIRPERSON
REICHMAN)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
state
driver’s
license
requirements
for
1
certain
persons
with
a
military
driver’s
license.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
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_____
Section
1.
Section
321.186,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
1
the
following
new
subsection:
2
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
2A.
a.
The
department
may
waive
the
3
requirement
that
an
applicant
actually
demonstrate
the
ability
4
to
exercise
ordinary
and
reasonable
control
in
the
operation
of
5
a
motor
vehicle
and
other
physical
or
mental
examinations
for
6
an
applicant
who
is
on
active
duty
in
the
military
service,
or
7
who
has
separated
from
such
service
in
the
past
year,
and
who
8
certifies
that
during
the
two-year
period
immediately
preceding
9
the
application
for
a
driver’s
license,
all
of
the
following
10
are
true:
11
(1)
The
applicant
has
not
had
a
driver’s
license,
other
than
12
a
military
license.
13
(2)
The
applicant
has
maintained
a
clear
driving
record.
14
For
purposes
of
this
subparagraph,
“clear
driving
record”
15
means
the
individual
has
not
been
identified
as
a
candidate
16
for
suspension
or
revocation
of
a
driver’s
license
under
the
17
habitual
violator
or
habitual
offender
provisions
of
the
18
department’s
regulations;
is
not
subject
to
a
driver’s
license
19
suspension,
revocation,
denial,
cancellation,
disqualification,
20
or
bar;
and
has
no
record
of
a
conviction
for
a
moving
traffic
21
violation
determined
to
be
the
cause
of
a
motor
vehicle
22
accident.
23
b.
An
applicant
for
a
waiver
under
this
subsection
must
24
certify
and
provide
evidence
as
required
by
the
department
that
25
all
of
the
following
apply:
26
(1)
The
applicant
is
regularly
employed
or
was
regularly
27
employed
within
the
past
year
in
a
military
position
requiring
28
operation
of
a
motor
vehicle.
29
(2)
The
applicant
was
operating
a
motor
vehicle
30
representative
of
the
class
of
motor
vehicle
the
applicant
31
expects
to
operate
for
at
least
two
years
immediately
preceding
32
honorable
separation
from
military
service
as
evidenced
by
the
33
person’s
certificate
of
release
or
discharge
from
active
duty,
34
commonly
referred
to
as
a
DD214.
35
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c.
An
applicant
who
obtains
a
waiver
under
this
subsection
1
shall
successfully
complete
a
screening
of
the
applicant’s
2
eyesight,
a
test
of
the
applicant’s
ability
to
read
and
3
understand
highway
signs
regulating,
warning,
and
directing
4
traffic,
and
a
test
of
the
applicant’s
knowledge
of
the
5
traffic
laws
of
this
state,
as
required
under
subsection
2.
An
6
applicant
who
obtains
a
waiver
under
this
subsection
is
exempt
7
from
the
driver
education
requirements
under
section
321.178.
8
EXPLANATION
9
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
10
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
11
Under
current
law,
the
effective
date
of
a
valid
driver’s
12
license
held
by
any
person
at
the
time
of
entering
the
military
13
service
of
the
United
States
or
of
the
state
of
Iowa,
or
held
by
14
a
family
member
living
with
such
person,
is
generally
extended
15
without
fee
until
six
months
following
the
initial
separation
16
from
active
duty,
absent
certain
aggravating
circumstances
17
pursuant
to
Code
section
321.198
(military
service
exception).
18
This
bill
authorizes
the
department
of
transportation
(DOT)
19
to
issue
a
driver’s
license
to
a
person
who
is
on
active
duty
in
20
the
military
service,
or
who
has
separated
from
such
service
in
21
the
past
year
(military
applicant),
and
who
obtained
a
testing
22
waiver
under
the
bill.
23
The
bill
authorizes
the
DOT
to
waive
the
requirement
that
24
a
military
applicant
actually
demonstrate
the
ability
to
25
exercise
ordinary
and
reasonable
control
in
the
operation
of
a
26
motor
vehicle
and
other
physical
or
mental
examinations
if
the
27
military
applicant
certifies
that,
during
the
two-year
period
28
immediately
preceding
the
application
for
a
driver’s
license,
29
the
military
applicant
held
no
other
driver’s
license
other
30
than
a
military
license,
and
that
the
applicant
maintained
31
a
clear
driving
record,
described
in
the
bill.
A
military
32
applicant
must
also
certify
and
provide
evidence
of
relevant
33
employment
in
a
military
position
requiring
operation
of
a
34
motor
vehicle
and
that
the
military
applicant
has
experience
35
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operating
a
motor
vehicle
representative
of
the
class
of
motor
1
vehicle
the
applicant
expects
to
operate
for
at
least
two
2
years
immediately
preceding
honorable
separation
from
military
3
service,
as
evidenced
by
the
person’s
certificate
of
release
or
4
discharge
from
active
duty,
commonly
referred
to
as
a
DD214.
5
Similar
provisions
exist
under
current
law
for
issuance
of
a
6
commercial
driver’s
license.
7
A
military
applicant
must
successfully
complete
an
eyesight
8
screening
and
tests
on
the
ability
to
read
and
understand
9
highway
signs
and
knowledge
of
the
traffic
laws.
A
military
10
applicant
who
obtains
a
waiver
under
the
bill
is
exempt
from
11
the
driver
education
requirements
under
Code
section
321.178.
12
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