House File 405 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE 405
BY TUREK
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to motor vehicle window tint, and making
2 penalties applicable.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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1 Section 1. Section 321.438, subsection 2, Code 2023, is
2 amended by striking the subsection and inserting in lieu
3 thereof the following:
4 2. a. A person shall not operate on the highway a motor
5 vehicle equipped with a windshield, side window, or rear
6 window that is tinted so that the driver’s view through
7 the windshield, side window, or rear window is reduced or
8 the ability to see into the motor vehicle is substantially
9 impaired. Windows and window treatments prohibited under this
10 subsection include all of the following:
11 (1) A windshield with any sunscreening material that is
12 not clear and transparent below the AS-1 line or that has a
13 sunscreening material that is red, yellow, or amber in color
14 above the AS-1 line.
15 (2) Front side windows with any sunscreening or other
16 transparent material that has a luminous reflectance of more
17 than thirty-five percent or has light transmission of less than
18 thirty-five percent.
19 (3) A rear window or side windows behind the front seats
20 with sunscreening or other transparent material that has a
21 luminous reflectance of more than thirty-five percent or has
22 light transmission of less than twenty percent, except for the
23 rear window or side windows behind the front seats on a bus,
24 van, or motor vehicle designed to carry ten or fewer passengers
25 that is constructed on a truck chassis or with special features
26 for occasional off-road use.
27 (4) Windows on a motor vehicle as described in 49 C.F.R.
28 §571.205 that do not meet the standards for safety glazing
29 material specified under 49 C.F.R. §571.205.
30 b. Paragraph “a” does not apply to a person who operates
31 a motor vehicle owned or leased by a federal, state, or local
32 law enforcement agency if the operation is part of the person’s
33 official duties.
34 c. As used in this subsection:
35 (1) “AS-1 line” means a line extending from the letters
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1 AS-1, found on most motor vehicle windshields, running parallel
2 to the top of the windshield or a line five inches below and
3 parallel to the top of the windshield, whichever is closer to
4 the top of the windshield.
5 (2) “Light transmission” means the ratio of the amount of
6 total light, expressed in percentages, which is allowed to pass
7 through the sunscreening or transparent material to the amount
8 of total light falling on the motor vehicle window.
9 (3) “Luminous reflectance” means the ratio of the amount
10 of total light, expressed in percentages, which is reflected
11 outward by the sunscreening or transparent material to the
12 amount of total light falling on the motor vehicle window.
13 (4) “Sunscreening material” means a film, material, tint,
14 or device applied to motor vehicle windows for the purpose of
15 reducing the effects of the sun.
16 EXPLANATION
17 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
18 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
19 Current law prohibits a person from operating on the highway
20 a motor vehicle that is equipped with a front windshield, side
21 window, or sidewing which is excessively dark or reflective
22 such that it is difficult for a person outside the motor
23 vehicle to see into the motor vehicle through the window. By
24 administrative rule, the department of transportation (DOT)
25 defines “excessively dark or reflective” to mean that the
26 window does not meet a minimum standard of transparency of
27 70 percent light transmittance. The prohibition does not
28 apply to a person who operates a motor vehicle owned or leased
29 by a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency if the
30 operation is part of the person’s official duties.
31 This bill prohibits a person from operating on the highway
32 a motor vehicle equipped with windows that are tinted so that
33 the driver’s view through the windshield, side window, or rear
34 window is reduced or the ability to see into the motor vehicle
35 is substantially impaired. The bill strikes DOT’s authority to
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1 adopt by rule a minimum measurable standard of transparency.
2 Instead, the bill provides a list of prohibited windows and
3 window treatments based on the type of window and type of
4 vehicle.
5 The bill does not apply to a person who operates a motor
6 vehicle owned or leased by a federal, state, or local law
7 enforcement agency if the operation is part of the person’s
8 official duties.
9 The bill defines the terms used in the bill, including
10 “AS-1 line”, “light transmission”, “luminous reflectance”, and
11 “sunscreening material”.
12 A violation of Code section 321.438 is punishable by a
13 scheduled fine of $70.
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Statutes affected:
Introduced: 321.438