S.B. 13

1

DUI PLEA RESTRICTIONS
2 2003 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Sponsor: D. Chris Buttars
5 This act modifies the Motor Vehicle Code by providing restrictions on when a court can
6 accept a plea of guilty or no contest in a driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
7 case. This act requires that a court receive verification that the prosecutor agrees to the
8 plea, the prosecutor files a criminal information, or the court receives verification of no
9 prior offenses from a law enforcement agency.
10 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
11 ENACTS:
12 41-6-43.8, Utah Code Annotated 1953
13 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
14 Section 1. Section 41-6-43.8 is enacted to read:
15 41-6-43.8. Acceptance of plea of guilty to DUI -- Restrictions -- Verification of
16 prior violations -- Prosecutor to examine defendant's record.
17 (1) A court may not accept a plea of guilty or no contest to a charge under Section
18 41-6-44 unless:
19 (a) the prosecutor agrees to the plea:
20 (i) in open court;
21 (ii) in writing; or
22 (iii) by another means of communication which the court finds adequate to record the
23 prosecutor's agreement;
24 (b) the charge is filed by information as defined under Section 77-1-3 ; or
25 (c) the court receives verification from a law enforcement agency that the defendant's
26 driver license record contains no record of a conviction, arrest, or charge for:
27 (i) more than one prior violation within the previous ten years of any offense which, if

28 the defendant were convicted, would qualify as a "conviction" as defined under Subsection
29 41-6-44 (1);
30 (ii) a felony violation of Section 41-6-44 ; or
31 (iii) automobile homicide under Section 76-5-207 .
32 (2) A verification under Subsection (1)(c) may be made by:
33 (a) a written indication on the citation;
34 (b) a separate written document; or
35 (c) any other means which the court finds adequate to record the law enforcement
36 agency's verification.
37 (3) Prior to agreeing to a plea of guilty or no contest or to filing an information under
38 Subsection (1), the prosecutor shall examine the criminal history or driver license record of the
39 defendant.
40 (4) A plea of guilty or no contest is not made invalid by the failure of the court,
41 prosecutor, or law enforcement agency to comply with this section.




Legislative Review Note
as of 11-20-02 4:54 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

Interim Committee Note
as of 12-12-02 1:42 PM

The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee recommended this bill.