Capitol Notebook: Iowa lawmakers pass drunken driving restrictions

A bill aimed at improving Iowa's ignition interlock law for those convicted of drunken driving is headed to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk.

Senate File 2261 passed the House this week, 87-7.

The bill would require those convicted of drunken driving to complete the designated time period without violations before the device can be removed and their driver’s license reinstated.

The period of a time a person is required to maintain an ignition interlock device on their vehicle would be extended by an additional 60 days for 10 or more violations within a 30-day period; five or more violations within a 24-hour period; or for tampering with, removing or attempting to circumvent the device without authorization.

The bill is supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Supporters say the legislation is critical to reducing impaired driving in Iowa.

Currently, a person whose driver’s license is revoked for operating while intoxicated is required to install the device before being issued a temporary restricted license.

The small, handheld breathalyzer used to prevent users from being able to start their vehicle after drinking alcohol, must be installed on every vehicle owned or operated by the person, or every vehicle operated by the person if they have no previous OWI conviction.

The bill would instead require an ignition interlock only on vehicles they drive.

A person would be able to wait out their 180-day license suspension for conviction of OWI first offense and would not be required to get an ignition interlock if they do not drive during that period.

The bill also allows individuals to waive the requirement to install an interlock device for a “verifiable medical condition” that makes the person incapable of properly operating the device.

It also establishes in code the alcohol concentration beyond which a device will not allow the operation of the motor vehicle at 0.04.

The DOT would be required to revoke the driver’s license of a person required to maintain an ignition interlock device who does not get one installed or removes it without authorization.

Iowa AG celebrates stay of SEC climate rule

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Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird joined 24 other GOP state attorneys general in temporarily blocking a rule that will require some public companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rule would require public companies to provide information about climate-related risks that could significantly impact their business or financial statements.

Environmental groups and others in favor of more disclosure have argued those emissions are usually the largest part of any company’s carbon footprint and that many companies are already tracking such information, the Associated Press reported.

The SEC approved the rule last month, which comes as climate change is contributing to more extreme and costly weather events around the world. The U.S. alone set a record last year for the number of weather disasters that cost more than $1 billion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Republicans say the rule is burdensome and expensive for companies, and an attempt to influence investments based on climate-related risks instead of returns.

“The SEC’s job is to protect people from fraud. It has no business slapping companies with extremist climate mandates,” Bird said in a statement. “… By halting this mandate, we are protecting business from costly red tape, securing our supply chain and defending family farms.”

The state attorneys general argued the SEC cannot implement the climate mandate without an act of Congress.

Reynolds appoints new district judge

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday announced the appointment of Justin Wyatt of Glenwood as a 4th Judicial District judge to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Kathleen Kilnoski.

Wyatt, a district associate judge, earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Creighton University, according to the governor’s office.

Iowa’s 4th Judicial District includes Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby counties in southwest Iowa.