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H.B. 128 Enrolled

                 

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE REVISIONS

                 
2000 GENERAL SESSION

                 
STATE OF UTAH

                 
Sponsor: Gerry A. Adair

                  AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; AMENDING THE DRIVER LICENSE
                  REVOCATION PERIOD FOR A PERSON WHO REFUSES TO SUBMIT TO A CHEMICAL
                  TEST FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
                  This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
                  AMENDS:
                      41-6-44.10, as last amended by Chapter 226, Laws of Utah 1999
                  Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
                      Section 1. Section 41-6-44.10 is amended to read:
                       41-6-44.10. Implied consent to chemical tests for alcohol or drug -- Number of tests
                  -- Refusal -- Warning, report -- Hearing, revocation of license -- Appeal -- Person incapable
                  of refusal -- Results of test available -- Who may give test -- Evidence.
                      (1) (a) A person operating a motor vehicle in this state is considered to have given his
                  consent to a chemical test or tests of his breath, blood, or urine for the purpose of determining
                  whether he was operating or in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having a blood or
                  breath alcohol content statutorily prohibited under Section 41-6-44 , 53-3-231 , or 53-3-232 , while
                  under the influence of alcohol, any drug, or combination of alcohol and any drug under Section
                  41-6-44 , or while having any measurable controlled substance or metabolite of a controlled
                  substance in the person's body in violation of Section 41-6-44.6 , if the test is or tests are
                  administered at the direction of a peace officer having grounds to believe that person to have been
                  operating or in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having a blood or breath alcohol
                  content statutorily prohibited under Section 41-6-44 , 53-3-231 , or 53-3-232 , or while under the
                  influence of alcohol, any drug, or combination of alcohol and any drug under Section 41-6-44 , or
                  while having any measurable controlled substance or metabolite of a controlled substance in the
                  person's body in violation of Section 41-6-44.6 .
                      (b) (i) The peace officer determines which of the tests are administered and how many of


                  them are administered.
                      (ii) If an officer requests more than one test, refusal by a person to take one or more
                  requested tests, even though he does submit to any other requested test or tests, is a refusal under
                  this section.
                      (c) (i) A person who has been requested under this section to submit to a chemical test or
                  tests of his breath, blood, or urine, may not select the test or tests to be administered.
                      (ii) The failure or inability of a peace officer to arrange for any specific chemical test is not
                  a defense to taking a test requested by a peace officer, and it is not a defense in any criminal, civil,
                  or administrative proceeding resulting from a person's refusal to submit to the requested test or tests.
                      (2) (a) If the person has been placed under arrest, has then been requested by a peace officer
                  to submit to any one or more of the chemical tests under Subsection (1), and refuses to submit to any
                  chemical test requested, the person shall be warned by the peace officer requesting the test or tests
                  that a refusal to submit to the test or tests can result in revocation of the person's license to operate
                  a motor vehicle.
                      (b) Following the warning under Subsection (2)(a), if the person does not immediately
                  request that the chemical test or tests as offered by a peace officer be administered a peace officer
                  shall serve on the person, on behalf of the Driver License Division, immediate notice of the Driver
                  License Division's intention to revoke the person's privilege or license to operate a motor vehicle.
                  When the officer serves the immediate notice on behalf of the Driver License Division, he shall:
                      (i) take the Utah license certificate or permit, if any, of the operator;
                      (ii) issue a temporary license effective for only 29 days; and
                      (iii) supply to the operator, on a form approved by the Driver License Division, basic
                  information regarding how to obtain a hearing before the Driver License Division.
                      (c) A citation issued by a peace officer may, if approved as to form by the Driver License
                  Division, serve also as the temporary license.
                      (d) As a matter of procedure, the peace officer shall submit a signed report, within ten days
                  after the date of the arrest, that he had grounds to believe the arrested person had been operating or
                  was in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while having a blood or breath alcohol content

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                  statutorily prohibited under Section 41-6-44 , 53-3-231 , or 53-3-232 , or while under the influence of
                  alcohol, any drug, or combination of alcohol and any drug under Section 41-6-44 , or while having
                  any measurable controlled substance or metabolite of a controlled substance in the person's body in
                  violation of Section 41-6-44.6 , and that the person had refused to submit to a chemical test or tests
                  under Subsection (1).
                      (e) (i) A person who has been notified of the Driver License Division's intention to revoke
                  his license under this section is entitled to a hearing.
                      (ii) A request for the hearing shall be made in writing within ten days after the date of the
                  arrest.
                      (iii) Upon written request, the division shall grant to the person an opportunity to be heard
                  within 29 days after the date of arrest.
                      (iv) If the person does not make a timely written request for a hearing before the division,
                  his privilege to operate a motor vehicle in the state is revoked beginning on the 30th day after the date
                  of arrest for a period of:
                      (A) [one year] 18 months unless Subsection (2)(e)(iv)(B) applies; or
                      (B) [18] 24 months if the person has had a previous license sanction after July 1, 1993, under
                  this section, Section 41-6-44.6 , 53-3-223 , 53-3-231 , 53-3-232 , or a conviction after July 1, 1993,
                  under Section 41-6-44 .
                      (f) If a hearing is requested by the person, the hearing shall be conducted by the Driver
                  License Division in the county in which the offense occurred, unless the division and the person both
                  agree that the hearing may be held in some other county.
                      (g) The hearing shall be documented and shall cover the issues of:
                      (i) whether a peace officer had reasonable grounds to believe that a person was operating a
                  motor vehicle in violation of Section 41-6-44 , 41-6-44.6 , or 53-3-231 ; and
                      (ii) whether the person refused to submit to the test.
                      (h) (i) In connection with the hearing, the division or its authorized agent:
                      (A) may administer oaths and may issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the
                  production of relevant books and papers; and

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                      (B) shall issue subpoenas for the attendance of necessary peace officers.
                      (ii) The division shall pay witness fees and mileage from the Transportation Fund in
                  accordance with the rates established in Section 21-5-4 .
                      (i) If after a hearing, the Driver License Division determines that the person was requested
                  to submit to a chemical test or tests and refused to submit to the test or tests, or if the person fails
                  to appear before the Driver License Division as required in the notice, the Driver License Division
                  shall revoke his license or permit to operate a motor vehicle in Utah beginning on the date the hearing
                  is held for a period of:
                      (i) (A) [one year] 18 months unless Subsection (2)(i)(i)(B) applies; or
                      (B) [18] 24 months if the person has had a previous license sanction after July 1, 1993, under
                  this section, Section 41-6-44.6 , 53-3-223 , 53-3-231 , 53-3-232 , or a conviction after July 1, 1993,
                  under Section 41-6-44 .
                      (ii) The Driver License Division shall also assess against the person, in addition to any fee
                  imposed under Subsection 53-3-205 (14), a fee under Section 53-3-105 , which shall be paid before
                  the person's driving privilege is reinstated, to cover administrative costs.
                      (iii) The fee shall be cancelled if the person obtains an unappealed court decision following
                  a proceeding allowed under this Subsection (2) that the revocation was improper.
                      (j) (i) Any person whose license has been revoked by the Driver License Division under this
                  section may seek judicial review.
                      (ii) Judicial review of an informal adjudicative proceeding is a trial. Venue is in the district
                  court in the county in which the offense occurred.
                      (3) Any person who is dead, unconscious, or in any other condition rendering him incapable
                  of refusal to submit to any chemical test or tests is considered to not have withdrawn the consent
                  provided for in Subsection (1), and the test or tests may be administered whether the person has been
                  arrested or not.
                      (4) Upon the request of the person who was tested, the results of the test or tests shall be
                  made available to him.
                      (5) (a) Only a physician, registered nurse, practical nurse, or person authorized under Section

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                  26-1-30 , acting at the request of a peace officer, may withdraw blood to determine the alcoholic or
                  drug content. This limitation does not apply to taking a urine or breath specimen.
                      (b) Any physician, registered nurse, practical nurse, or person authorized under Section
                  26-1-30 who, at the direction of a peace officer, draws a sample of blood from any person whom a
                  peace officer has reason to believe is driving in violation of this chapter, or hospital or medical facility
                  at which the sample is drawn, is immune from any civil or criminal liability arising from drawing the
                  sample, if the test is administered according to standard medical practice.
                      (6) (a) The person to be tested may, at his own expense, have a physician of his own choice
                  administer a chemical test in addition to the test or tests administered at the direction of a peace
                  officer.
                      (b) The failure or inability to obtain the additional test does not affect admissibility of the
                  results of the test or tests taken at the direction of a peace officer, or preclude or delay the test or
                  tests to be taken at the direction of a peace officer.
                      (c) The additional test shall be subsequent to the test or tests administered at the direction
                  of a peace officer.
                      (7) For the purpose of determining whether to submit to a chemical test or tests, the person
                  to be tested does not have the right to consult an attorney or have an attorney, physician, or other
                  person present as a condition for the taking of any test.
                      (8) If a person under arrest refuses to submit to a chemical test or tests or any additional test
                  under this section, evidence of any refusal is admissible in any civil or criminal action or proceeding
                  arising out of acts alleged to have been committed while the person was operating or in actual
                  physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, any drug, combination of
                  alcohol and any drug, or while having any measurable controlled substance or metabolite of a
                  controlled substance in the person's body.

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