Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01054 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
OldNewDifferences
11
22
33 LCO No. 5517 1 of 8
44
55 General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1054
66 January Session, 2019
77 LCO No. 5517
88
99
1010 Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY
1111
1212
1313 Introduced by:
1414 (JUD)
1515
1616
1717
1818
1919 AN ACT CONCERNING DR IVING WHILE INTOXICATED.
2020 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
2121 Assembly convened:
2222
2323 Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2019) (a) A person is guilty of 1
2424 smoking or otherwise inhaling or ingesting a cannabis-type substance 2
2525 while operating a motor vehicle when such person smokes, otherwise 3
2626 inhales or ingests a cannabis-type substance while operating a motor 4
2727 vehicle upon a public highway of this state or upon any road of any 5
2828 specially chartered municipal association or of any district organized 6
2929 under the provisions of chapter 105 of the general statutes, a purpose 7
3030 of which is the construction and maintenance of roads and sidewalks, 8
3131 or in any parking area for ten cars or more, or upon any private road 9
3232 on which a speed limit has been established in accordance with the 10
3333 provisions of section 14-218a of the general statutes or upon any school 11
3434 property. For purposes of this section, "cannabis-type substance" 12
3535 means any of the substances described as "cannabis-type substances" 13
3636 in section 21a-240 of the general statutes. 14
3737 (b) Smoking or otherwise inhaling or ingesting a cannabis-type 15
3838 substance while operating a motor vehicle is a class C misdemeanor. 16 Raised Bill No. 1054
3939
4040
4141
4242 LCO No. 5517 2 of 8
4343
4444 Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2019) (a) A person is guilty of 17
4545 smoking a cannabis-type substance in a motor vehicle as a passenger 18
4646 when such person smokes a cannabis-type substance in a motor 19
4747 vehicle that is being operated by another person upon a public 20
4848 highway of this state or upon any road of any specially chartered 21
4949 municipal association or of any district organized under the provisions 22
5050 of chapter 105 of the general statutes, a purpose of which is the 23
5151 construction and maintenance of roads and sidewalks, or in any 24
5252 parking area for ten cars or more, or upon any private road on which a 25
5353 speed limit has been established in accordance with the provisions of 26
5454 section 14-218a of the general statutes or upon any school property. 27
5555 For purposes of this section, "cannabis-type substance" means any of 28
5656 the substances described as "cannabis-type substances" in section 21a-29
5757 240 of the general statutes. 30
5858 (b) Smoking a cannabis-type substance in a motor vehicle as a 31
5959 passenger is a class C misdemeanor. 32
6060 Sec. 3. Subsection (d) of section 14-227a of the general statutes is 33
6161 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 34
6262 October 1, 2019): 35
6363 (d) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection 36
6464 shall ascertain the reliability of each method and type of device offered 37
6565 for chemical testing and analysis purposes of blood, of breath and of 38
6666 urine and certify those methods and types which said commissioner 39
6767 finds suitable for use in testing and analysis of blood, breath and urine, 40
6868 respectively, in this state. The Commissioner of Emergency Services 41
6969 and Public Protection shall adopt regulations, in accordance with 42
7070 chapter 54, governing the conduct of chemical tests, the operation and 43
7171 use of chemical test devices, the training and certification of operators 44
7272 of such devices and the drawing or obtaining of blood, breath or urine 45
7373 samples as said commissioner finds necessary to protect the health and 46
7474 safety of persons who submit to chemical tests and to insure 47
7575 reasonable accuracy in testing results. Such regulations shall not 48
7676 require recertification of a police officer solely because such officer 49 Raised Bill No. 1054
7777
7878
7979
8080 LCO No. 5517 3 of 8
8181
8282 terminates such officer's employment with the law enforcement 50
8383 agency for which certification was originally issued and commences 51
8484 employment with another such agency. A person qualified to 52
8585 withdraw blood or any hospital, laboratory or clinic employing or 53
8686 utilizing the services of such a person shall not incur any civil liability 54
8787 as a result of such activities if requested by a law enforcement officer 55
8888 acting in accordance with this section or section 14-227c, as amended 56
8989 by this act, to withdraw blood unless an action of the person while 57
9090 performing such activities constitutes gross negligence. 58
9191 Sec. 4. Section 14-227c of the general statutes is repealed and the 59
9292 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019): 60
9393 (a) As part of the investigation of any motor vehicle accident 61
9494 resulting in the death of a person, the Chief Medical Examiner, Deputy 62
9595 Chief Medical Examiner, an associate medical examiner, a pathologist 63
9696 as specified in section 19a-405, or an authorized assistant medical 64
9797 examiner, as the case may be, shall order that a blood sample be taken 65
9898 from the body of any operator or pedestrian who dies as a result of 66
9999 such accident. Such blood samples shall be examined for the presence 67
100100 and concentration of alcohol and any drug by the Division of Scientific 68
101101 Services within the Department of Emergency Services and Public 69
102102 Protection or by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Nothing in 70
103103 this subsection or section 19a-406 shall be construed as requiring such 71
104104 medical examiner to perform an autopsy in connection with obtaining 72
105105 such blood samples. 73
106106 (b) A blood, [or] breath or urine sample shall be obtained from any 74
107107 surviving operator whose motor vehicle is involved in an accident 75
108108 resulting in the serious physical injury, as defined in section 53a-3, or 76
109109 death of another person, if (1) a police officer has probable cause to 77
110110 believe that such operator operated such motor vehicle while under 78
111111 the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or both, or (2) such 79
112112 operator has been charged with a motor vehicle violation in connection 80
113113 with such accident and a police officer has a reasonable and articulable 81
114114 suspicion that such operator operated such motor vehicle while under 82 Raised Bill No. 1054
115115
116116
117117
118118 LCO No. 5517 4 of 8
119119
120120 the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, or both. The test shall 83
121121 be performed by or at the direction of a police officer according to 84
122122 methods and with equipment approved by the Department of 85
123123 Emergency Services and Public Protection and shall be performed by a 86
124124 person certified or recertified for such purpose by said department or 87
125125 recertified by persons certified as instructors by the Commissioner of 88
126126 Emergency Services and Public Protection. The equipment used for 89
127127 such test shall be checked for accuracy by a person certified by the 90
128128 Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection immediately 91
129129 before and after such test is performed. If a blood test is performed, it 92
130130 shall be on a blood sample taken by a person licensed to practice 93
131131 medicine and surgery in this state, a qualified laboratory technician, a 94
132132 registered nurse, a physician assistant or a phlebotomist. [The blood 95
133133 samples] Any blood sample obtained from an operator pursuant to 96
134134 this subsection shall be examined for the presence and concentration of 97
135135 alcohol and any drug by the Division of Scientific Services within the 98
136136 Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. 99
137137 (c) Any police officer who obtains from a surviving operator any 100
138138 blood, breath or urine sample pursuant to subsection (b) of this section 101
139139 shall submit to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles a written report 102
140140 providing the results of such sample on a form approved by the 103
141141 commissioner. If any such sample indicates an elevated blood alcohol 104
142142 content, as defined in subsection (n) of section 14-227b, the 105
143143 commissioner may, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing held 106
144144 in accordance with chapter 54 and section 14-227b, suspend the motor 107
145145 vehicle operator's license or nonresident operating privilege of such 108
146146 person and require such person to install and maintain an ignition 109
147147 interlock device as provided for in subsection (i) of section 14-227b. 110
148148 Such hearing shall be limited to a determination of the following 111
149149 issues: (1) Was the person operating the motor vehicle; (2) was the 112
150150 person's sample obtained in accordance with the provisions of 113
151151 subsection (b) of this section; and (3) was there an elevated blood 114
152152 alcohol content. 115
153153 (d) A person qualified to withdraw blood or any hospital, 116 Raised Bill No. 1054
154154
155155
156156
157157 LCO No. 5517 5 of 8
158158
159159 laboratory or clinic employing or utilizing the services of such a person 117
160160 shall not incur any civil liability as a result of such activities if 118
161161 requested by a law enforcement officer acting in accordance with this 119
162162 section to withdraw blood unless an action of the person while 120
163163 performing such activities constitutes gross negligence. 121
164164 Sec. 5. Subsection (l) of section 46b-124 of the general statutes is 122
165165 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 123
166166 October 1, 2019): 124
167167 (l) Records of cases of juvenile matters involving delinquency 125
168168 proceedings, or any part thereof, containing information that a child 126
169169 has been adjudicated as delinquent for a violation of section 1 of this 127
170170 act, subdivision (e) of section 1-1h, subsection (c) of section 14-147, 128
171171 subsection (a) of section 14-215, section 14-222, subsection (b) of section 129
172172 14-223, subsection (a), (b) or (c) of section 14-224, section 14-227a, as 130
173173 amended by this act, section 14-227g, section 14-227m, section 14-227n, 131
174174 subsection (d) of section 21a-267, section 21a-279a, section 30-88a, [or] 132
175175 subsection (b) of section 30-89 [,] or section 53a-213, shall be disclosed 133
176176 to the Department of Motor Vehicles for administrative use in 134
177177 determining whether administrative sanctions regarding such child's 135
178178 motor vehicle operator's license are warranted. Records disclosed 136
179179 pursuant to this subsection shall not be further disclosed. 137
180180 Sec. 6. Subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 54-56g of the 138
181181 general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 139
182182 thereof (Effective October 1, 2019): 140
183183 (a) (1) There shall be a pretrial alcohol education program for 141
184184 persons charged with a violation of section 14-227a, 14-227g or 14-142
185185 227m, subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 14-227n or 143
186186 section 15-133 or 15-140n. Upon application by any such person for 144
187187 participation in such program and payment to the court of an 145
188188 application fee of one hundred dollars and a nonrefundable evaluation 146
189189 fee of one hundred dollars, the court shall, but only as to the public, 147
190190 order the court file sealed, provided such person states under oath, in 148 Raised Bill No. 1054
191191
192192
193193
194194 LCO No. 5517 6 of 8
195195
196196 open court or before any person designated by the clerk and duly 149
197197 authorized to administer oaths, under penalties of perjury that: (A) If 150
198198 such person is charged with a violation of section 14-227a, as amended 151
199199 by this act, 14-227g or 14-227m, subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) 152
200200 of section 14-227n, subsection (d) of section 15-133 or section 15-140n, 153
201201 such [person has not had such program invoked in such person's 154
202202 behalf within the preceding ten years] violation is not alleged to have 155
203203 occurred during the ten-year period immediately following the day on 156
204204 which such person was last granted entry into the program for a 157
205205 violation of section 14-227a, as amended by this act, 14-227g or 14-158
206206 227m, subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 14-227n, 159
207207 subsection (d) of section 15-133 or section 15-140n, (B) such person has 160
208208 not been convicted of a violation of section 53a-56b or 53a-60d, a 161
209209 violation of subsection (a) of section 14-227a before, on or after October 162
210210 1, 1981, a violation of subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 163
211211 14-227a on or after October 1, 1985, a violation of section 14-227g, a 164
212212 violation of section 14-227m or a violation of subdivision (1) or (2) of 165
213213 subsection (a) of section 14-227n, (C) such person has not been 166
214214 convicted of a violation of section 15-132a, subsection (d) of section 15-167
215215 133, section 15-140l or section 15-140n, (D) such person has not been 168
216216 convicted in any other state at any time of an offense the essential 169
217217 elements of which are substantially the same as section 53a-56b, 53a-170
218218 60d, 15-132a, 15-140l or 15-140n, subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) 171
219219 of section 14-227a, section 14-227m, subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection 172
220220 (a) of section 14-227n or subsection (d) of section 15-133, and (E) notice 173
221221 has been given by such person, by registered or certified mail on a 174
222222 form prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, to each 175
223223 victim who sustained a serious physical injury, as defined in section 176
224224 53a-3, which was caused by such person's alleged violation, that such 177
225225 person has applied to participate in the pretrial alcohol education 178
226226 program and that such victim has an opportunity to be heard by the 179
227227 court on the application. 180
228228 Sec. 7. Subsection (h) of section 54-56g of the general statutes is 181
229229 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 182 Raised Bill No. 1054
230230
231231
232232
233233 LCO No. 5517 7 of 8
234234
235235 October 1, 2019): 183
236236 (h) The provisions of this section shall not be applicable in the case 184
237237 of any person charged with a violation of section 1 of this act or section 185
238238 14-227a, as amended by this act, 14-227g or 14-227m, [or] subdivision 186
239239 (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 14-227n or section 53a-213 (1) 187
240240 while operating a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in section 14-1, 188
241241 or (2) who holds a commercial driver's license or commercial driver's 189
242242 instruction permit at the time of the violation. 190
243243 Sec. 8. Subsection (b) of section 54-56p of the general statutes is 191
244244 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 192
245245 October 1, 2019): 193
246246 (b) This section shall not be applicable to any person (1) who, at the 194
247247 time of the motor vehicle violation, holds a commercial driver's license 195
248248 or commercial driver's instruction permit or is operating a commercial 196
249249 motor vehicle, as defined in section 14-1, or (2) charged with a motor 197
250250 vehicle violation causing serious injury or death, a motor vehicle 198
251251 violation classified as a felony unless good cause is shown, or a 199
252252 violation of section 1 of this act or section 14-227a, as amended by this 200
253253 act, 14-227g, [or] 14-227m, 14-227n, 14-296aa or 53a-213. 201
254254 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
255255 sections:
256256
257257 Section 1 October 1, 2019 New section
258258 Sec. 2 October 1, 2019 New section
259259 Sec. 3 October 1, 2019 14-227a(d)
260260 Sec. 4 October 1, 2019 14-227c
261261 Sec. 5 October 1, 2019 46b-124(l)
262262 Sec. 6 October 1, 2019 54-56g(a)(1)
263263 Sec. 7 October 1, 2019 54-56g(h)
264264 Sec. 8 October 1, 2019 54-56p(b)
265265
266266 Statement of Purpose:
267267 To (1) establish the offenses of smoking or otherwise inhaling or
268268 ingesting a cannabis-type substance while operating a motor vehicle Raised Bill No. 1054
269269
270270
271271
272272 LCO No. 5517 8 of 8
273273
274274 and smoking a cannabis-type substance as a passenger in a motor
275275 vehicle as class C misdemeanors, (2) provide immunity to certain
276276 persons withdrawing blood for a blood alcohol test, (3) provide that
277277 the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may suspend driving privileges
278278 of and require the use of an ignition interlock device by a surviving
279279 operator of a motor vehicle who has an elevated blood alcohol content
280280 based on a blood, breath or urine sample of such operator involved in
281281 an accident resulting in the serious physical injury or death of a
282282 person, and (4) clarify and improve the effectiveness of the statutes
283283 prohibiting the operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of
284284 alcohol or drugs.
285285 [Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline,
286286 except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is
287287 not underlined.]
288288