Iowa’s new laws now in effect

    REGIONAL -- Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm? Do you move over for every car on the side of the road, not just the police? Has your student ever been shamed for not being able to afford lunch?
    These are just a few examples of changes made by the most recent Iowa legislative session.
    The 2018 Iowa Legislature session created a long list of new state laws, most of which took effect on July 1, the start of the new state fiscal year.
    Here are a few of the laws that will affect Shelby County residents:
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
    In 2016, Terry Branstad, the prior  Governor of Iowa, signed Senate File 2219 which requires Iowa residents to install carbon monoxide alarms.
     All single-family dwellings, single-family rental units, multiple-unit residential building, or newly built residential buildings must install alarms if the building has a fuel-fired heater or appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage.
    Branstad gave Iowa residents and property owners until July 1, 2018 to install the proper detectors.

Move Over, Slow Down
    This year, the “Move Over, Slow Down” law has been expanded. The law, under House File 2304, now requires drives to change lanes for any stationary vehicle with flashing lights.
    If a driver can not change lanes away from the vehicle, they must slow down to a reasonable speed under the speed limit, and be prepared to stop if necessary.