Des Moines, Iowa — Thirty-one Republicans in the Iowa Senate have given final legislative approval to a bill that provides new liability protection to the trucking industry.
The bill does not impact coverage of medical bills after someone is killed or severely injured in Iowa by a semi or commercial vehicle, but five million dollars would be the limit in non-economic pain and suffering damages. Earlier this year a lower two million dollar limit cleared the Senate, but last month 58 House members voted to set five million dollars as the cap. Republican Senator Michael Bousselot of Ankeny says the changes made by the House aren’t ideal, but the bill is a step in the right direction.
Three Republican Senators joined all Democrats in voting against the bill. Senator Nate Boulton, a Democrat from Des Moines, says juries should still be allowed to decide how much a victim is owed without any limits.
Governor Reynolds first proposed a new liability shield for the trucking industry last year and she put the issue on her list of legislative priorities for this year.
