HCSHB273--DRIVINGWHILEINTOXICATED
SPONSOR: Roberts
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonCrimeandPublicSafetybyavoteof19to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
273.
Thisbillestablishesacriminalcasediversionprogram
specificallyforcasesinvolvingdrivingwhileintoxicated. In
suchcases,thecurrentdiversionprogramavailabletoprosecutors
willnotapply;instead,theprovisionsofthisbillwillapply.A
defendantcanrequesttobedivertedtotheprogrambysubmittinga
requesttotheprosecutingorcircuitattorneyandsendingacopy
oftherequesttotheDepartmentofRevenuewithin15daysofhis
orherarrest.Aprosecutorcandivertacriminalcaseinvolving
drivingwhileintoxicatedifcertainrequirements,specifiedinthe
bill,aremet.Suchdiversioncancontinueforuptotwoyears,
andthedefendantcanbeorderedtocomplywithappropriateterms,
conditions,orprograms.
Onesuchrequirementistheinstallationofanignitioninterlock
deviceforaperiodofnolessthan12monthsonanyvehiclethe
defendantoperates,andthedefendantwillbeprohibitedfrom
operatingavehiclethatisnotequippedwithanignitioninterlock
device.Theinstalleroftheignitioninterlockdevicemustnotify
theDepartmentofRevenueifthedeviceisremovedorindicates
thatapersonhasattemptedtoremove,bypass,ortamperwiththe
device;ifthepersonfailsthreeormoretimestocomplywithany
requirementforthemaintenanceorcalibrationofthedevice;orif
thedeviceregistersafailedstart.Ifthepersonhasafailed
startwithinthelast90daysoftherequiredperiodof
installationofthedevice,thetermwillbeextendedfor90days.
Ifthedefendantcomplieswiththetermsandconditionsofthe
diversionprogram,theactionagainstthedefendantwillbe
dismissed,thedismissalwillberecorded,andtherecordwillbe
transmittedtotheDepartmentofRevenue. Ifthedefendantdoes
notcomplywiththetermsandconditions,ahearingwillbeheld
afternoticetothedefendanttodeterminewhetherthecriminal
proceedingswillbereinstated. Anydefendantfoundguiltyofan
intoxication-relatedtrafficoffensewhohaspreviouslyutilized
theDWIdiversionprogramwillbeconsideredaprioroffenderas
definedinSection577.001,RSMo,iftheprioroffenseoccurred
withinfiveyearsoftheintoxication-relatedoffenseforwhichthe
personischarged. Finally,forthelimitedpurposeofdetermining
whetheradefendantisachronic,habitual,persistent,orprior offenderunderSection577.001,acriminalcasedivertedtoaDWI
diversionprogramwillbecountedasoneintoxication-related
trafficoffense.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1654(2024).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisallowsadefendantcharged
withadrivingwhileintoxicated(DWI)offensetogotoadiversion
program,whichwouldtakethepersonoutofthecriminaljustice
system.Itisapermissiveprogram,andthedefendantwouldhave
tomeetcertaincriteriatoqualifyfortheprogram. Ifthe
defendantcompletestheprogram,thecourtmustdismissthe
criminalcharge;however,thiswillcountasaprioroffensefor
anysubsequentDWIcharge.Thereareapproximately25,000DWI
arrestsinMissourieveryyear.About10,000willgothroughthe
processandneverre-offend.However,about5,000willre-offend,
whichmeans5,000potentialvictims. Normally,MothersAgainst
DrunkDrivingisnotsupportiveofdiversionprograms,butthisone
comeswithanignitioninterlockrequirement,sothisalongwith
theeducationrequirementshouldreducerecidivism. Theywantto
ensurefirsttimeoffenderswhodon’tinjuresomeonehavethe
opportunitytoimprovetheirliveswithoutarecordfollowingthem
andwithouttheincreaseininsurance. Thisisaconsistent
pathwaythroughthestatetoallowthisoffensetonolongerbeon
yourrecordbutifyoure-offendina5-yearperiod,it’llgoon
yourrecord.Suspendingdrivers’licensesdoesnotworkandthere
havebeenthreedecades’worthofstudiesshowingtheefficacyof
ignitioninterlockdevices.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Roberts;
MothersAgainstDrunkDriving(MADD);DebraCoffey,Safetyand
AdvocacyforEmpowerment(SAFE);andSAFE.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatprosecutorsalready
haveagreatdealofdiscretion,andtheyareallowedtohandle
casesastheyseefit.ThishasConstitutional issuesbecause,
evenifyoudon’tpleadguilty,thiswillbecountedagainstyou
forasubsequentoffense.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereBrianBernskoetter,
MissouriAssociationofCriminalDefenseAttorneys;andArnie
Dienoff. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.