H31 [Edition 2]

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2015

H 2

HOUSE BILL 31

Committee Substitute Favorable 3/4/15

Short Title: 0.00 Alcohol Restriction‑All DWI.		(Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:

February 2, 2015

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to require a 0.00 alcohol concentration restriction on all restoration of licenses revoked for an impaired driving offense.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1. G.S. 20‑17.8(b) reads as rewritten:

"(b) (Effective until December 1, 2016) Ignition Interlock Required. – Except as provided in subsection (l) of this section, when the Division restores the license of a person who is subject to this section, in addition to any other restriction or condition, it shall require the person to agree to and shall indicate on the person's drivers license the following restrictions for the period designated in subsection (c):

(1) A restriction that the person may operate only a vehicle that is equipped with a functioning ignition interlock system of a type approved by the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall not unreasonably withhold approval of an ignition interlock system and shall consult with the Division of Purchase and Contract in the Department of Administration to ensure that potential vendors are not discriminated against.

(2) A requirement that the person personally activate the ignition interlock system before driving the motor vehicle.

(3) An alcohol concentration restriction as follows:

a. If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant only to subdivision (a)(1) of this section, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of ~~0.04 or greater;~~greater than 0.00;

b. If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant to subdivision (a)(2) or (a)(3) of this section, or subsection (a1) of this section, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00; or

c. If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) of this section, and the person has also been convicted, based on the same set of circumstances, of: (i) driving while impaired in a commercial vehicle, G.S. 20‑138.2, (ii) driving while less than 21 years old after consuming alcohol or drugs, G.S. 20‑138.3, (iii) a violation of G.S. 20‑141.4, or (iv) manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle when the offense involved impaired driving, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00.

(b) (Effective December 1, 2016) Ignition Interlock Required. – Except as provided in subsection (l) of this section, when the Division restores the license of a person who is subject to this section, in addition to any other restriction or condition, it shall require the person to agree to and shall indicate on the person's drivers license the following restrictions for the period designated in subsection (c):

(2) A requirement that the person personally activate the ignition interlock system before driving the motor vehicle.

(3) An alcohol concentration restriction as follows:

b. If the ignition interlock system is required pursuant to subdivision (a)(2) or (a)(3) of this section, a requirement that the person not drive with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00; or

SECTION 2. G.S. 20‑19(c3) reads as rewritten:

"(c3) (Effective until December 1, 2016) Restriction; Revocations. – When the Division restores a person's drivers license which was revoked pursuant to G.S. 20‑13.2(a), G.S. 20‑23 when the offense involved impaired driving, G.S. 20‑23.2, subdivision (2) of G.S. 20‑17(a), subdivision (1) or (9) of G.S. 20‑17(a) when the offense involved impaired driving, G.S. 20‑138.5(d), or this subsection, in addition to any other restriction or condition, it shall place the applicable restriction on the person's drivers license as follows:

(1) For the first restoration of a drivers license for a person convicted of driving while impaired, G.S. 20‑138.1, or a drivers license revoked pursuant to G.S. 20‑23 or G.S. 20‑23.2 when the offense for which the person's license was revoked prohibits substantially similar conduct which if committed in this State would result in a conviction of driving while impaired under G.S. 20‑138.1, that the person not operate a vehicle with an alcohol concentration of ~~0.04 or more~~greater than 0.00 at any relevant time after the driving;

(2) For the second or subsequent restoration of a drivers license for a person convicted of driving while impaired, G.S. 20‑138.1, or a drivers license revoked pursuant to G.S. 20‑23 or G.S. 20‑23.2 when the offense for which the person's license was revoked prohibits substantially similar conduct which if committed in this State would result in a conviction of driving while impaired under G.S. 20‑138.1, that the person not operate a vehicle with an alcohol concentration greater than 0.00 at any relevant time after the driving;

(3) For any restoration of a drivers license for a person convicted of driving while impaired in a commercial motor vehicle, G.S. 20‑138.2, habitual impaired driving, G.S. 20‑138.5, driving while less than 21 years old after consuming alcohol or drugs, G.S. 20‑138.3, felony death by vehicle, G.S. 20‑141.4(a1), manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle when the offense involved impaired driving, or a revocation under this subsection, that the person not operate a vehicle with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00 at any relevant time after the driving;

(4) For any restoration of a drivers license revoked pursuant to G.S. 20‑23 or G.S. 20‑23.2 when the offense for which the person's license was revoked prohibits substantially similar conduct which if committed in this State would result in a conviction of driving while impaired in a commercial motor vehicle, G.S. 20‑138.2, driving while less than 21 years old after consuming alcohol or drugs, G.S. 20‑138.3, a violation of G.S. 20‑141.4, or manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle when the offense involved impaired driving, that the person not operate vehicle with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00 at any relevant time after the driving.

In addition, the person seeking restoration of a license must agree to submit to a chemical analysis in accordance with G.S. 20‑16.2 at the request of a law enforcement officer who has reasonable grounds to believe the person is operating a motor vehicle on a highway or public vehicular area in violation of the restriction specified in this subsection. The person must also agree that, when requested by a law enforcement officer, the person will agree to be transported by the law enforcement officer to the place where chemical analysis is to be administered.

The restrictions placed on a license under this subsection shall be in effect (i) seven years from the date of restoration if the person's license was permanently revoked, (ii) until the person's twenty‑first birthday if the revocation was for a conviction under G.S. 20‑138.3, and (iii) three years in all other cases.

A law enforcement officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has violated a restriction placed on the person's drivers license shall complete an affidavit pursuant to G.S. 20‑16.2(c1). On the basis of information reported pursuant to G.S. 20‑16.2, the Division shall revoke the drivers license of any person who violates a condition of reinstatement imposed under this subsection. An alcohol concentration report from an ignition interlock system shall not be used as the basis for revocation under this subsection. A violation of a restriction imposed under this subsection or the willful refusal to submit to a chemical analysis shall result in a one‑year revocation. If the period of revocation was imposed pursuant to subsection (d) or (e), or G.S. 20‑138.5(d), any remaining period of the original revocation, prior to its reduction, shall be reinstated and the one‑year revocation begins after all other periods of revocation have terminated.

(c3) (Effective December 1, 2016) Restriction; Revocations. – When the Division restores a person's drivers license which was revoked pursuant to G.S. 20‑13.2(a), G.S. 20‑23 when the offense involved impaired driving, G.S. 20‑23.2, subdivision (2) of G.S. 20‑17(a), subdivision (1) or (9) of G.S. 20‑17(a) when the offense involved impaired driving, or this subsection, in addition to any other restriction or condition, it shall place the applicable restriction on the person's drivers license as follows:

(3) For any restoration of a drivers license for a person convicted of driving while impaired in a commercial motor vehicle, G.S. 20‑138.2, driving while less than 21 years old after consuming alcohol or drugs, G.S. 20‑138.3, felony death by vehicle, G.S. 20‑141.4(a1), manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle when the offense involved impaired driving, or a revocation under this subsection, that the person not operate a vehicle with an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.00 at any relevant time after the driving;

A law enforcement officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has violated a restriction placed on the person's drivers license shall complete an affidavit pursuant to G.S. 20‑16.2(c1). On the basis of information reported pursuant to G.S. 20‑16.2, the Division shall revoke the drivers license of any person who violates a condition of reinstatement imposed under this subsection. An alcohol concentration report from an ignition interlock system shall not be used as the basis for revocation under this subsection. A violation of a restriction imposed under this subsection or the willful refusal to submit to a chemical analysis shall result in a one‑year revocation. If the period of revocation was imposed pursuant to subsection (d) or (e), any remaining period of the original revocation, prior to its reduction, shall be reinstated and the one‑year revocation begins after all other periods of revocation have terminated."

SECTION 3. This act becomes effective July 1, 2016, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.