Transportation – Week of February 18, 2011

STAFF CONTACT:     Hannah Garden-Monheit

SSB 1083 – Department of Transportation Omnibus (now SF 205)

COMMITTEE ACTION:

SSB 1083, as amended, is the Department of Transportation’s policy bill. Provisions include:

** Provides that a conviction of “nolo contendere” from another state is treated as a conviction in Iowa for the purposes of chapter 321.

** Waives the fee when a car title is transferred from a deceased spouse to the surviving spouse.

** Makes it a simple misdemeanor to drive a commercial vehicle after one’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) is downgraded to a noncommercial license. Provides for rules allowing for downgrading of a CDL if a medical examiners certificate or a self-certification is not provided.

** Clarifies last year’s texting-while-driving bill so that offenders are not required to obtain SR-22 high risk insurance.

** Allows a CDL applicant to meet vision screening requirements by submitting a vision report from a licensed specialist. This is current law for noncommercial licenses.

** Allows a person without a school bus endorsement on the driver’s license to move an empty school bus for maintenance purposes.

** Increases the property damage threshold from $1,000 to $1,500 for providing proof of financial responsibility for ATV, snowmobile and motor vehicle accidents.

** Prohibits employment as a travel trailer dealer or employee for a period of five years if convicted of fraud.

** Eliminates obsolete language about transfer of a regular-route passenger certificate.

** Updates code references for Unified Carrier Registrations.

** Clarifies previous legislation allowing the DOT to issue a temporary restricted license without a court order.

** Updates requirements for an annual DOT report on public transit. [2/9: short form]