State Rep. Megan Jones Outlines Transportation Bill, English-Proficiency Rules for CDLs

State Rep. Megan Jones, Republican of Sioux Rapids and chair of the House Transportation Committee, moved House File 2161 to the Iowa House Floor and presided over subcommittee action that advanced House File 2179, a seatbelt-expansion proposal that would fine unbelted passengers $70 and impose $135 fines when children aren’t secured.

Jones outlined the committee’s actions in a March 5 Capitol Letter published by the Storm Lake Times Pilot and in interviews cited by statewide outlets. On HF 2179, Jones said the measure is partly about reducing insurance costs: “It’s also about insurance prices. So, let’s get those people buckled in the back so we’re reducing the cost of insurance and then also making sure that everyone is safe.” The bill would expand current Iowa law, which now requires seatbelts only for drivers, front-seat passengers, and children under 18, to require seatbelts for all vehicle occupants.

The seatbelt push comes as Iowa recorded its lowest number of traffic fatalities in the last century in 2025 and following last session’s hands‑free driving law. Jones told WHO 13 News that the idea has been raised before and credited freshman Representative Sitzmann with introducing a prior version: “We had tried to work on some things a few years ago. We weren’t able to get it across the finish line, but actually, a freshman, Representative Sitzmann introduced it, and he had talked to me about it, and I said, ‘well let’s give it a whirl,’ and so here we are trying it again. I think, you know, this year might be the right year, the right climate for that.”

House File 2161, the license plate reader bill Jones described in her Capitol Letter, was moved with a significant amendment that would require city councils and county boards of supervisors to authorize local law enforcement agencies to use license plate reader technology. Jones wrote that the bill “places some limits on how the information garnered from these devices could be used, while still supporting law enforcement as they use these tools to solve crimes, find missing children, and catch criminals,” and she called placing guardrails on LPR use “another hot topic in the committee.”

Jones also referenced House File 2700 in the March 5 Capitol Letter; legislative summaries describe HF 2700 as seeking English-proficiency rules tied to commercial driver license issuance. Jones’ office has provided her legislative contact as megan.jones@legis.iowa.gov for follow-up on bill language and sponsors.

Outside committee work, Jones announced a re-election bid for Iowa House District 6 on Wednesday, February 25. First elected in 2012, Jones is a prosecutor who lives with her husband Will and their five children on a family farm in rural Sioux Rapids. She cited her role on the 2025 disaster recovery bill after the June 2024 flooding as “one of her biggest achievements,” and said she will continue work on property tax reform and administrative changes such as allowing businesses to use fleet license plates to “save money, time, and stress for Iowans.”

Jones will participate in a Storm Lake legislative forum Saturday, March 28 at 12:30 p.m. at King’s Pointe Resort; contact via megan.jones@legis.iowa.gov. With HF 2161 moved to the floor and HF 2179 advanced out of subcommittee, Jones signaled a busy remainder of Funnel Week for the Transportation Committee as those measures seek final House consideration.