The Iowa Legislature has voted to increase dozens of fines. For example, the fine for not wearing your seat belt will go from 10 to 25 bucks. Senator Gene Maddox, a republican from Clive, says many traffic fines were set years ago, and with inflation, they’re no longer a big deterrent. He says the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Transportation pushed for the changes.Maddox says some weird fines were reduced or eliminated, like the fine for improper use of an antique license plate.The proposal does not include increases in fines for speeding, nor will parking fines increase. Senate Democrat Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs joked that there’s a tried and true way to avoid parking fines anyway. Gronstal says, “I steal tickets off other people’s cars and put them on my windshield, and then I don’t have to plug the meters.” Gronstal prefaced his comment by saying the media should not report it.The fine for having an open container of alcohol in your car will double, from 50 to a hundred bucks. Governor Vilsack’s expected to sign the bill into law. The increase in fines will raise almost two million more dollars for the state.