Legislation will loosen Iowa’s auto window tint requirements.
The bill, which received the approval of a committee of the Iowa Senate on Wednesday, would significantly increase the level of tint allowed on the windshields of cars in the state.
Iowa has some of the strictest windshield tinting regulations in the country. Current administrative regulations state that the front windows of the driver and passenger of a vehicle must let in 70% of the light.
“The rule of thumb is that if you see any tint on the windows, it’s too dark,” the Iowa State Patrol said in 2016.
This is similar to several other states, including California and New York, although there are some in the northeast that do not allow dyeing at all.
Senate File 350 will reduce the required light transmittance to 25% in Iowa, comparable to what is allowed in states like Missouri and Texas.
Senator Claire Selsey, D-West Des Moines, opposed the law and said state military members who spoke at a subcommittee meeting on the bill were concerned about how it could affect traffic shutdowns.
“It all comes down to safety, especially when someone is pulled over and a law enforcement officer cannot look inside the car,” she said.
To allay those concerns, R-Packwood’s Senator Adrian Dickey said the bill is likely to be amended if it is finalized to require drivers with tinted windshields to lower their windows during stops.
He said it could also be amended to require a transmittance of around 35% rather than 25%.
Thanks to the actions of the committee, the bill remains in force for consideration by the full Senate. Due to the legislative committee’s deadline, known as the “funnel”, most policy bills must be approved by the full committee before the end of the week.
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