BILL NUMBER: AB 614INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Miller FEBRUARY 25, 2009 An act to amend Section 13353 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 614, as introduced, Miller. Driving under the influence (DUI): refusal to submit to chemical tests. (1) Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend or revoke a person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle, as specified, if the person refuses an officer's request to submit to, or fails to complete, a chemical test or tests for alcohol or drugs, upon receipt of the officer's sworn statement that the officer had reasonable cause to believe that the person had been driving a motor vehicle while under the influence (DUI) and that the person had refused to submit to, or did not complete, the test or tests after being requested by the officer. A violation of this provision is a crime. This bill would in addition impose the same punishment for a refusal to submit to a chemical text for a first violation, or for one or more violations or DUI offenses occurring within 10 years, as the punishment for DUI committed under similar circumstances. By adding imprisonment in the county jail to this offense, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 13353 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read: 13353. (a) If a person refuses the officer's request to submit to, or fails to complete, a chemical test or tests pursuant to Section 23612, upon receipt of the officer's sworn statement that the officer had reasonable cause to believe the person had been driving a motor vehicle in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153, and that the person had refused to submit to, or did not complete, the test or tests after being requested by the officer, the department shall do one of the following: (1) Suspend the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle for a period of one year. (2) Revoke the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle for a period of two years if the refusal occurred within 10 years of either (A) a separate violation of Section 23103 as specified in Section 23103.5, or of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153, or of Section 191.5 or subdivision (a) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, that resulted in a conviction, or (B) a suspension or revocation of the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle pursuant to this section or Section 13353.2 for an offense that occurred on a separate occasion. (3) Revoke the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle for a period of three years if the refusal occurred within 10 years of any of the following: (A) Two or more separate violations of Section 23103 as specified in Section 23103.5, or of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153, or of Section 191.5 or subdivision (a) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, or any combination thereof, that resulted in convictions. (B) Two or more suspensions or revocations of the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle pursuant to this section or Section 13353.2 for offenses that occurred on separate occasions. (C) Any combination of two or more of those convictions or administrative suspensions or revocations. The officer's sworn statement shall be submitted pursuant to Section 13380 on a form furnished or approved by the department. The suspension or revocation shall not become effective until 30 days after the giving of written notice thereof, or until the end of a stay of the suspension or revocation, as provided for in Section 13558. (D) For the purposes of this section, a conviction of an offense in any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the Dominion of Canada that, if committed in this state, would be a violation of Section 23103, as specified in Section 23103.5, or Section 23140, 23152, or 23153, or Section 191.5 or subdivision (a) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, is a conviction of that particular section of the Vehicle Code or Penal Code. (b) If a person on more than one occasion in separate incidents refuses the officer's request to submit to, or fails to complete, a chemical test or tests pursuant to Section 23612 while driving a motor vehicle, upon the receipt of the officer's sworn statement that the officer had reasonable cause to believe the person had been driving a motor vehicle in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153, the department shall disqualify the person from operating a commercial motor vehicle for the rest of his or her lifetime. (c) The notice of the order of suspension or revocation under this section shall be served on the person by a peace officer pursuant to Section 23612. The notice of the order of suspension or revocation shall be on a form provided by the department. If the notice of the order of suspension or revocation has not been served by the peace officer pursuant to Section 23612, the department immediately shall notify the person in writing of the action taken. The peace officer who serves the notice, or the department, if applicable, also shall provide, if the officer or department, as the case may be, determines that it is necessary to do so, the person with the appropriate non-English notice developed pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 14100. (d) Upon the receipt of the officer's sworn statement, the department shall review the record. For purposes of this section, the scope of the administrative review shall cover all of the following issues: (1) Whether the peace officer had reasonable cause to believe the person had been driving a motor vehicle in violation of Section 23140, 23152, or 23153. (2) Whether the person was placed under arrest. (3) Whether the person refused to submit to, or did not complete, the test or tests after being requested by a peace officer. (4) Whether, except for a person described in subdivision (a) of Section 23612 who is incapable of refusing, the person had been told that his or her driving privilege would be suspended or revoked if he or she refused to submit to, or did not complete, the test or tests. (e) The person may request an administrative hearing pursuant to Section 13558. Except as provided in subdivision (e) of Section 13558, the request for an administrative hearing does not stay the order of suspension or revocation. (f) The suspension or revocation imposed under this section shall run concurrently with any restriction, suspension, or revocation imposed under Section 13352, 13352.4, or 13352.5 that resulted from the same arrest. (g) In addition to the punishment imposed under subdivision (a) for a refusal to submit to a chemical test pursuant to Section 23612, the person shall be punished as specified in Section 23536. If a person is found to have violated subdivision (a) and the offense occurred within 10 years of one or more separate violations of subdivision (a) or convictions pursuant to Section 23103.5, 23152, or 23153, the person shall be punished pursuant to Section 23540, 23546, 23548, 23550, 23550.5, or 23552, as applicable, to the same extent those sections apply to one, two, or three or more separate violations or convictions within 10 years of an underlying violation. SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.