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Iowa City council removes loitering clause from bus conduct overhaul after debate
Summary
Council updated the city’s bus conduct ordinance to modernize prohibitions on vaping, amplified sound and harassment but voted to remove a proposed loitering provision that would have made repeated continuous trips enforceable; councilors and residents raised concerns about criminalizing vulnerable riders.
Iowa City — On Dec. 10, 2024, the Iowa City Council approved first consideration of amendments to the city code that modernize prohibited conduct on public buses while voting to strip a loitering provision after sharp exchanges about enforcement and equity.
Darien Nagel Grama, director of transportation services, told the council the update was prompted by “a societal shift post pandemic” and would bring the municipal code into step with current behavior and technology. He described five principal changes: expanding the smoking prohibition to include smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes and vaping devices; updating language on sound amplification (phones are the common source today); clarifying that service…
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