Iowa Senate votes to address impaired, distracted driving

DES MOINES - The Iowa Senate voted Thursday to take steps to address problems associated with drunken, drugged and distracted driving.

Senators voted 48-0 to establish programs that would require drivers arrested or convicted of driving impaired to participate in twice-daily sobriety monitoring, as well as require some drivers to install ignition interlocks in their vehicles. The sobriety monitoring program is modeled after initiatives in South Dakota and other states.

'I believe this is a necessary piece of legislation to create additional tools with the intent of improving safety on our roads,” said Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, floor manager for Senate File 444.

The legislation puts in place an evidence-based, innovative criminal justice concept with a non-traditional approach to treat crimes involving alcohol or drug abuse with the goal of preventing repeat occurrences, he said. An offender could be placed in the opt-in program as a condition of bond, pretrial release, sentence probation, parole or a temporary restricted license and be allowed to function in a job free from incarceration if he or she abstains from the use of alcohol and/or drugs for the term of the sanction, he added.

A separate provision of the bill, which now goes to the Iowa House for consideration, would provide that cellphone use while driving would be considered evidence of reckless driving 'with willful or wanton disregard” for public safety. A driver who struck and killed someone would commit a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of no more than $10,000.

'This legislation does do something to promote safety on our public highways. It definitely feels like it's a step in the right direction as we find the best way to keep our citizens safe and reduce the number of injuries on our public highways,” said Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines.

The recommendations for the legislation came out of a task force Gov. Terry Branstad formed to study ways to keep drunk, drugged and distracted drivers off Iowa highways following a year when traffic deaths spiked to 403 - the most since 2008.

School Transportation

In other action Thursday, senators voted 47-0 to approve legislation that would make significant changes to the way the state funds public education in general, as well as schools' transportation costs.

Senate File 455, which also was sent to the House, would over 10 years phase in increases for school districts that have outsized transportation costs, and equalize the amount districts are permitted to spend per pupil. Critics like Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, argued unsuccessfully that the cost - estimated at $15 million to $20 million in the first year and increasing annually thereafter - could create competition for state budget dollars and mean less general school funding for all districts.

The legislation aims to solve a pair of issues brought to state lawmakers' attention in recent years. Rural school districts say they are forced to use a higher percent of their general fund budget on transportation, leaving less money for educational purposes. And some districts have expressed frustration that they are permitted to spend less per student than some other districts. The provisions would be fully implemented by fiscal 2027.

'This is huge,” said Sen. Tom Shipley, R-Nodaway, who noted the bill addressed problems that have vexed school districts for decades. 'What an opportunity. We're going to do the right thing.”

Sen. Roby Smith, R-Davenport, called Senate File 455 a long-term fix. 'This bill is pro-education, this bill is fairness; this bill helps Iowa and its children,” he said. 'It is reasonable, sustainable and prudent. Vote yes for equality.”

Sen. Tod Bowman, D-Maquoketa, called the change a bipartisan effort that has spanned multiple sessions in trying to close a gap in transportation costs that range up to $1,133 per student among Iowa's 333 school districts.

'This is going to be a game changer. This is big, this is important,” said Bowman, who noted some would like to see a faster pace to inequities that will be dealt with slowly over a period of years. 'Iowans across the state want this regardless of urban or rural.”

Project Labor Agreements

Also Thursday, senators voted 26-21 to approve legislation prohibiting union project labor agreements from being mandated on taxpayer-funded construction projects that are financed by state or local governments. All Republicans present voted yes while 20 Democrats and one independent senator opposed Sen. File 438.

"Taxpayers deserve the best construction that they can get at the very best price that they can get," said Sen. Dennis Guth, R-Klemme, the bill's floor manager. "This bill will make that happen by encouraging more contractors to bid on a project."

Guth said the bill will increase competition and reduce costs if government entities have options other than project labor agreements that favor union workers. He and others contend non-union contractors shy away from government-financed projects because the bidding process requires the revelation of proprietary information.

Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, said the bill is another example of lawmakers intruding into a local control issue for cities, counties and school districts in trying unsuccessfully to apply the bill's provisions solely to state projects.

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