Capitol Letters: Transportation Committee moves through funnel

State Rep. Megan Jones

Funnel Week is always a busy time for House policy committees, and that certainly was the case for the House Transportation Committee as they moved a number of proposals to the House Floor.

Maintaining safe roads has always been a top priority for the committee, and that was no different this week. The panel passed a proposal that would require drivers operating a commercial motor vehicle to be proficient in English. Applicants for a commercial driver’s license would be required to take a test to demonstrate proficiency, and drivers on the road could be stopped if they can’t speak English. The bill, House Study Bill 698 doesn’t just address drivers — it also penalizes the trucking companies that are hiring people who don’t meet the Federal and state CDL standards. Fines are imposed on these employers and companies would not get back their trucks until those are paid.

The committee also looked to continue the fight against human trafficking by requiring human trafficking prevention training for those getting a commercial driver’s license in Iowa. House Study Bill 697 would require the completion of a class in this prior to receiving a CDL.

Improving driving skills of young drivers was another topic discussed by the committee. When the Legislature revised the school permit law two years ago and created the new special minor’s restricted license, strong penalties were included to deter minors from not using this privilege wisely. Some drivers have had this license suspended, which leaves them with no ability to get behind the wheel. House File 2113 was adopted by the committee to give these drivers the ability to improve their driving skills by being able to obtain a learner’s permit and drive while having a parent present.

The Transportation Committee started the process of revising Iowa’s abandoned vehicle laws with the passage of House Study Bill 667 took the jumbled current language and produced a streamlined version of the law. This will serve as the starting point for ongoing conversations about changes to address concerns that some towing companies are using the law to sell towed vehicles at an accelerated pace.

Placing guardrails on the use of license plate readers was another hot topic in the committee. House File 2161 was moved with a significant amendment to require city councils and county boards of supervisors to authorize their law enforcement agencies to utilize this form of technology. The bill places some limits on how the information garnered from these devices could be used, while still supporting law enforcement as they use these tools to solve crimes, find missing children, and catch criminals.

The next Storm Lake Legislative forum will be held Saturday, March 28, at 12:30 p.m. at King’s Pointe Resort. Contact Megan Jones by email: megan.jones@legis.iowa.gov.