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Senate raises default highway speed limit from 55 to 60 on undivided paved roads
Summary
Senate File 378 passed the Senate to raise Iowa's default speed limit from 55 mph to 60 mph on portions of undivided paved highways; debate highlighted safety concerns and agency speed observations before the 36–12 final vote.
Senate File 378, which raises the statutory default speed limit from 55 miles per hour to 60 miles per hour on certain undivided paved highways, passed the Senate after floor debate.
Senator Gruenhagen of Scott County, the floor sponsor, said the bill would align Iowa with other states and reflect observed prevailing speeds on paved undivided roads. "Department of Public Safety, says that 62 to 64 are typical for 55 mile per hour zones," Gruenhagen said in closing remarks.
Opponents urged caution, arguing that raising speed limits reduces the safety margin and can increase crash severity. Senator Kornbach said succinctly, "Speed kills," and noted the State Patrol Council registered opposition to the bill. Senator Stay (identified as "Senator stayed" in the transcript) objected on principle, saying passage contradicted recent safety legislation; "We just passed legislation on hands free, and now we're raising the speed limit," the senator said.
After debate the sponsor moved the bill for final reading and passage. The roll call on final passage recorded 36 ayes and 12 nays; the bill was declared passed and the title agreed to. The transcript does not include subsequent amendment language, a fiscal note, or details about which specific road classes beyond "undivided paved highways" will be affected; the sponsor indicated the bill primarily targets undivided paved highways.
