Assembly Bill No. 7–Assemblyman Manendo

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance; reducing the concentration of alcohol that may be present in the blood or breath of a person while operating a vehicle or vessel; providing for the prospective expiration of such reduced concentration of alcohol upon the repeal of certain federal laws; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

    Section 1. NRS 483.045 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    483.045  The phrase “concentration of alcohol of 0.02 or more

but less than [0.10] 0.08 in his blood or breath” means 0.02 gram or

more but less than [0.10] 0.08 gram of alcohol per 100 milliliters of

the blood of a person or per 210 liters of his breath.

    Sec. 2.  NRS 483.461 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    483.461  1.  If the result of a test given pursuant to NRS

484.382 or 484.383 shows that a person less than 21 years of age

had a concentration of alcohol of 0.02 or more but less than [0.10]

0.08 in his blood or breath at the time of the test, his license, permit

or privilege to drive must be suspended for a period of 90 days.

    2.  If a revocation or suspension of a person’s license, permit or

privilege to drive for a violation of NRS 62.227, 484.379 or

484.3795 follows a suspension ordered pursuant to subsection 1, the

Department shall:

    (a) Cancel the suspension ordered pursuant to subsection 1; and

    (b) Give the person credit toward the period of revocation or

suspension ordered pursuant to NRS 62.227, 484.379 or 484.3795,

whichever is applicable, for any period during which the person’s

license, permit or privilege to drive was suspended pursuant to

subsection 1.

    3.  This section does not preclude:

    (a) The prosecution of a person for a violation of any other

provision of law; or

    (b) The suspension or revocation of a person’s license, permit or

privilege to drive pursuant to any other provision of law.

    Sec. 3.  NRS 483.462 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    483.462  1.  A peace officer who has received the result of a

test given pursuant to NRS 484.382 or 484.383 which indicates that

a person less than 21 years of age to whom the test was given had a

concentration of alcohol of 0.02 or more but less than [0.10] 0.08 in

his blood or breath shall prepare a written certificate indicating

whether the peace officer:


    (a) Had reasonable grounds to believe that the person was

driving under the influence of alcohol;

    (b) Served an order of suspension on the person pursuant to

subsection 2; and

    (c) Issued the person a temporary license pursuant to

subsection 2.

    2.  If a person less than 21 years of age to whom a test is given

pursuant to NRS 484.382 or 484.383 is present when a peace officer

receives the result of the test and the test indicates that the person

has a concentration of alcohol of 0.02 or more but less than [0.10]

0.08 in his blood or breath, the peace officer shall:

    (a) Serve an order of suspension of the license, permit or

privilege;

    (b) Seize any license or permit of the person;

    (c) Advise the person of his right to:

        (1) Administrative and judicial review of the suspension; and

        (2) Have a temporary license;

    (d) If the person requests a temporary license, issue the person a

temporary license on a form approved by the Department which

becomes effective 24 hours after he receives the temporary license

and expires 120 hours after it becomes effective; and

    (e) Transmit to the Department:

        (1) Any license or permit seized pursuant to paragraph (b);

and

        (2) The written certificate which the peace officer is required

to prepare pursuant to subsection 1.

    3.  If a person less than 21 years of age to whom a test is given

pursuant to NRS 484.382 or 484.383 is not present when a peace

officer receives the result of the test and the test indicates that the

person has a concentration of alcohol of 0.02 or more but less than

[0.10] 0.08 in his blood or breath, the peace officer shall transmit to

the Department a copy of the result of the test and the written

certificate which the peace officer is required to prepare pursuant to

subsection 1.

    4.  The Department, upon receiving a copy of the result of the

test and the written certificate transmitted by the peace officer

pursuant to subsection 3, shall:

    (a) Review the result of the test and the written certificate; and

    (b) If the Department determines that it is appropriate, issue an

order to suspend the license, permit or privilege to drive of the

person by mailing the order to the person at his last known address.

    5.  An order for suspension issued by the Department pursuant

to subsection 4 must:

    (a) Explain the grounds for the suspension;

    (b) Indicate the period of the suspension;


    (c) Require the person to transmit to the Department any license

or permit held by the person; and

    (d) Explain that the person has a right to administrative and

judicial review of the suspension.

    6.  An order for suspension issued by the Department pursuant

to subsection 4 is presumed to have been received by the person 5

days after the order is deposited, postage prepaid, in the United

States mail by the Department. The date of mailing of the order may

be shown by a certificate that is prepared by an officer or employee

of the Department specifying the date of mailing.

    Sec. 4.  NRS 483.463 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    483.463  1.  At any time during which the license, permit or

privilege to drive is suspended pursuant to NRS 483.462, the person

may request in writing a hearing by the Department to review the

order of suspension. A person is entitled to only one administrative

hearing pursuant to this section.

    2.  Unless the parties agree otherwise, the hearing must be

conducted within 15 days after receipt of the request or as soon

thereafter as is practicable in the county in which the requester

resides.

    3.  The Director or his agent may:

    (a) Issue subpoenas for:

        (1) The attendance of witnesses at the hearing; and

        (2) The production of relevant books and papers; and

    (b) Require a reexamination of the requester.

    4.  The scope of the hearing must be limited to the issues of

whether the person, at the time of the test:

    (a) Was less than 21 years of age; and

    (b) Had a concentration of alcohol of 0.02 or more but less than

[0.10] 0.08 in his blood or breath.

    5.  The Department shall issue the person a temporary license

for a period that is sufficient to complete the administrative hearing.

    6.  Upon an affirmative finding on the issues listed in

subsection 4, the Department shall affirm the order of suspension.

Otherwise, the order of suspension must be rescinded.

    7.  If the order of suspension is affirmed by the Department, the

person is entitled to judicial review of the issues listed in subsection

4 in the manner provided in chapter 233B of NRS.

    8.  The court shall notify the Department upon issuing a stay.

Upon receiving such notice, the Department shall issue an additional

temporary license for a period that is sufficient to complete the

judicial review.

    9.  The hearing officer or the court shall notify the Department

if the hearing officer grants a continuance of the administrative

hearing or the court grants a continuance after issuing a stay of the

suspension. Upon receiving such notice, the Department shall cancel


any temporary license granted pursuant to this section and notify the

holder by mailing an order of cancellation to the last known address

of the holder.

    Sec. 5.  NRS 484.038 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    484.038  The phrase “concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or

more in his blood or breath” means [0.10] 0.08 gram or more of

alcohol per 100 milliliters of the blood of a person or per 210 liters

of his breath.

    Sec. 6.  NRS 484.379 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    484.379  1.  It is unlawful for any person who:

    (a) Is under the influence of intoxicating liquor;

    (b) Has a concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his

blood or breath; or

    (c) Is found by measurement within 2 hours after driving or

being in actual physical control of a vehicle to have a concentration

of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood or breath,

to drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle on a highway or

on premises to which the public has access.

    2.  It is unlawful for any person who:

    (a) Is under the influence of a controlled substance;

    (b) Is under the combined influence of intoxicating liquor and a

controlled substance; or

    (c) Inhales, ingests, applies or otherwise uses any chemical,

poison or organic solvent, or any compound or combination of any

of these, to a degree which renders him incapable of safely driving

or exercising actual physical control of a vehicle,

to drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle on a highway or

on premises to which the public has access. The fact that any person

charged with a violation of this subsection is or has been entitled to

use that drug under the laws of this state is not a defense against any

charge of violating this subsection.

    3.  It is unlawful for any person to drive or be in actual physical

control of a vehicle on a highway or on premises to which the public

has access with an amount of a prohibited substance in his blood or

urine that is equal to or greater than:

 

    Prohibited substance         Urine            Blood

                                           Nanograms perNanograms

                                             milliliterper milliliter

 

    (a) Amphetamine               500               100

    (b) Cocaine                        150                 50

    (c) Cocaine metabolite      150                 50

    (d) Heroin                       2,000                 50

    (e) Heroin metabolite:

        (1) Morphine              2,000                 50


        (2) 6-monoacetyl morphine10              10

    (f) Lysergic acid diethylamide25              10

    (g) Marijuana                       10                   2

    (h) Marijuana metabolite    15                   5

    (i) Methamphetamine        500               100

    (j) Phencyclidine                  25                 10

 

    4.  If consumption is proven by a preponderance of the

evidence, it is an affirmative defense under paragraph (c) of

subsection 1 that the defendant consumed a sufficient quantity of

alcohol after driving or being in actual physical control of the

vehicle, and before his blood or breath was tested, to cause him to

have a concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood

or breath. A defendant who intends to offer this defense at a trial or

preliminary hearing must, not less than 14 days before the trial or

hearing or at such other time as the court may direct, file and serve

on the prosecuting attorney a written notice of that intent.

    Sec. 7.  NRS 484.3795 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    484.3795  1.  A person who:

    (a) Is under the influence of intoxicating liquor;

    (b) Has a concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his

blood or breath;

    (c) Is found by measurement within 2 hours after driving or

being in actual physical control of a vehicle to have a concentration

of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood or breath;

    (d) Is under the influence of a controlled substance or is under

the combined influence of intoxicating liquor and a controlled

substance;

    (e) Inhales, ingests, applies or otherwise uses any chemical,

poison or organic solvent, or any compound or combination of any

of these, to a degree which renders him incapable of safely driving

or exercising actual physical control of a vehicle; or

    (f) Has a prohibited substance in his blood or urine in an amount

that is equal to or greater than the amount set forth in subsection 3

of NRS 484.379,

and does any act or neglects any duty imposed by law while driving

or in actual physical control of any vehicle on or off the highways of

this state, if the act or neglect of duty proximately causes the death

of, or substantial bodily harm to, a person other than himself, is

guilty of a category B felony and shall be punished by imprisonment

in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 2 years and a

maximum term of not more than 20 years and must be further

punished by a fine of not less than $2,000 nor more than $5,000. A

person so imprisoned must, insofar as practicable, be segregated

from offenders whose crimes were violent and, insofar as


practicable, be assigned to an institution or facility of minimum

security.

    2.  A prosecuting attorney shall not dismiss a charge of

violating the provisions of subsection 1 in exchange for a plea of

guilty, guilty but mentally ill or nolo contendere to a lesser charge or

for any other reason unless he knows or it is obvious that the charge

is not supported by probable cause or cannot be proved at the time

of trial. A sentence imposed pursuant to subsection 1 may not be

suspended nor may probation be granted.

    3.  If consumption is proven by a preponderance of the

evidence, it is an affirmative defense under paragraph (c) of

subsection 1 that the defendant consumed a sufficient quantity of

alcohol after driving or being in actual physical control of the

vehicle, and before his blood or breath was tested, to cause him to

have a concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood

or breath. A defendant who intends to offer this defense at a trial or

preliminary hearing must, not less than 14 days before the trial or

hearing or at such other time as the court may direct, file and serve

on the prosecuting attorney a written notice of that intent.

    4.  If the defendant was transporting a person who is less than

15 years of age in the motor vehicle at the time of the violation, the

court shall consider that fact as an aggravating factor in determining

the sentence of the defendant.

    Sec. 8.  NRS 484.384 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    484.384  1.  If the result of a test given under NRS 484.382 or

484.383 shows that a person had a concentration of alcohol of [0.10]

0.08 or more in his blood or breath at the time of the test, his

license, permit or privilege to drive must be revoked as provided in

NRS 484.385 and he is not eligible for a license, permit or privilege

for a period of 90 days.

    2.  If a revocation of a person’s license, permit or privilege to

drive under NRS 62.227 or 483.460 follows a revocation under

subsection 1 which was based on his having a concentration of

alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood or breath, the

Department shall cancel the revocation under that subsection and

give the person credit for any period during which he was not

eligible for a license, permit or privilege.

    3.  Periods of ineligibility for a license, permit or privilege to

drive which are imposed pursuant to this section must run

consecutively.

    Sec. 9.  NRS 484.385 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    484.385  1.  As agent for the Department, the officer who

obtained the result of a test given pursuant to NRS 484.382 or

484.383 shall immediately serve an order of revocation of the

license, permit or privilege to drive on a person who has a

concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood or


breath or has a detectable amount of a prohibited substance in his

blood or urine, if that person is present, and shall seize his license or

permit to drive. The officer shall then advise him of his right to

administrative and judicial review of the revocation and to have a

temporary license, and shall issue him a temporary license on a form

approved by the Department if he requests one, which is effective

for only 7 days including the date of issuance. The officer shall

immediately transmit the person’s license or permit to the

Department along with the written certificate required by

subsection 2.

    2.  When a police officer has served an order of revocation of a

driver’s license, permit or privilege on a person pursuant to

subsection 1, or later receives the result of an evidentiary test which

indicates that a person, not then present, had a concentration of

alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood or breath or had a

detectable amount of a prohibited substance in his blood or urine,

the officer shall immediately prepare and transmit to the

Department, together with the seized license or permit and a copy of

the result of the test, a written certificate that he had reasonable

grounds to believe that the person had been driving or in actual

physical control of a vehicle with a concentration of alcohol of

[0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood or breath or with a detectable

amount of a prohibited substance in his blood or urine, as

determined by a chemical test. The certificate must also indicate

whether the officer served an order of revocation on the person and

whether he issued the person a temporary license.

    3.  The Department, upon receipt of such a certificate for which

an order of revocation has not been served, after examining the

certificate and copy of the result of the chemical test, if any, and

finding that revocation is proper, shall issue an order revoking the

person’s license, permit or privilege to drive by mailing the order to

the person at his last known address. The order must indicate the

grounds for the revocation and the period during which the person is

not eligible for a license, permit or privilege to drive and state that

the person has a right to administrative and judicial review of the

revocation and to have a temporary license. The order of revocation

becomes effective 5 days after mailing.

    4.  Notice of an order of revocation and notice of the

affirmation of a prior order of revocation or the cancellation of a

temporary license provided in NRS 484.387 is sufficient if it is

mailed to the person’s last known address as shown by any

application for a license. The date of mailing may be proved by the

certificate of any officer or employee of the Department, specifying

the time of mailing the notice. The notice is presumed to have been

received upon the expiration of 5 days after it is deposited, postage

prepaid, in the United States mail.


    Sec. 10.  NRS 484.387 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    484.387  1.  At any time while a person is not eligible for a

license, permit or privilege to drive following an order of revocation

issued pursuant to NRS 484.385, he may request in writing a

hearing by the Department to review the order of revocation, but he

is only entitled to one hearing. The hearing must be conducted

within 15 days after receipt of the request, or as soon thereafter as is

practicable, in the county where the requester resides unless the

parties agree otherwise. The Director or his agent may issue

subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of

relevant books and papers and may require a reexamination of the

requester. The Department shall issue an additional temporary

license for a period which is sufficient to complete the

administrative review.

    2.  The scope of the hearing must be limited to the issue of

whether the person, at the time of the test, had a concentration of

alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood or breath or a detectable

amount of a prohibited substance in his blood or urine. Upon an

affirmative finding on this issue, the Department shall affirm the

order of revocation. Otherwise, the order of revocation must be

rescinded.

    3.  If, after the hearing, the order of revocation is affirmed, the

person whose license, privilege or permit has been revoked is

entitled to a review of the same issues in district court in the same

manner as provided by chapter 233B of NRS. The court shall notify

the Department upon the issuance of a stay , and the Department

shall issue an additional temporary license for a period which is

sufficient to complete the review.

    4.  If a hearing officer grants a continuance of a hearing at the

request of the person whose license was revoked, or a court does so

after issuing a stay of the revocation, the officer or court shall notify

the Department, and the Department shall cancel the temporary

license and notify the holder by mailing the order of cancellation to

his last known address.

    Sec. 11.  NRS 488.405 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    488.405  As used in NRS 488.410 and 488.420, the phrase

“concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood or

breath” means [0.10] 0.08 gram or more per 100 milliliters of the

blood of a person or per 210 liters of his breath.

    Sec. 12.  NRS 488.410 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    488.410  1.  It is unlawful for any person who:

    (a) Is under the influence of intoxicating liquor;

    (b) Has a concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his

blood or breath; or


    (c) Is found by measurement within 2 hours after operating or

being in actual physical control of a vessel to have a concentration

of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood or breath,

to operate or be in actual physical control of a vessel under power or

sail on the waters of this state.

    2.  It is unlawful for any person who:

    (a) Is under the influence of a controlled substance;

    (b) Is under the combined influence of intoxicating liquor and a

controlled substance; or

    (c) Inhales, ingests, applies or otherwise uses any chemical,

poison or organic solvent, or any compound or combination of any

of these, to a degree which renders him incapable of safely

operating or exercising actual physical control of a vessel under

power or sail,

to operate or be in actual physical control of a vessel under power or

sail on the waters of this state.

    3.  It is unlawful for any person to operate or be in actual

physical control of a vessel under power or sail on the waters of this

state with an amount of a prohibited substance in his blood or urine

that is equal to or greater than:

 

    Prohibited substance    Urine              Blood

                                      Nanograms perNanograms per

                                         milliliter       milliliter

 

    (a) Amphetamine          500                 100

    (b) Cocaine                   150                    50

    (c) Cocaine metabolite150                    50

    (d) Heroin                  2,000                    50

    (e) Heroin metabolite:

        (1) Morphine          2,000                    50

        (2) 6-monoacetyl morphine                10   10

    (f) Lysergic acid diethylamide                25   10

    (g) Marijuana                  10                      2

    (h) Marijuana metabolite15                     5

    (i) Methamphetamine   500                 100

    (j) Phencyclidine             25                    10

 

    4.  If consumption is proven by a preponderance of the

evidence, it is an affirmative defense under paragraph (c) of

subsection 1 that the defendant consumed a sufficient quantity of

alcohol after operating or being in actual physical control of the

vessel, and before his blood was tested, to cause him to have a

concentration of [0.10] 0.08 or more of alcohol in his blood

or breath. A defendant who intends to offer this defense at a trial or

preliminary hearing must, not less than 14 days before the trial or


hearing or at such other time as the court may direct, file and serve

on the prosecuting attorney a written notice of that intent.

    Sec. 13.  NRS 488.420 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    488.420  1.  A person who:

    (a) Is under the influence of intoxicating liquor;

    (b) Has a concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his

blood or breath;

    (c) Is found by measurement within 2 hours after operating or

being in actual physical control of a vessel under power or sail to

have a concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his blood

or breath;

    (d) Is under the influence of a controlled substance or is under

the combined influence of intoxicating liquor and a controlled

substance;

    (e) Inhales, ingests, applies or otherwise uses any chemical,

poison or organic solvent, or any compound or combination of any

of these, to a degree which renders him incapable of safely

operating or being in actual physical control of a vessel under power

or sail; or

    (f) Has a prohibited substance in his blood or urine in an amount

that is equal to or greater than the amount set forth in subsection 3

of NRS 488.410,

and does any act or neglects any duty imposed by law while

operating or being in actual physical control of any vessel under

power or sail, if the act or neglect of duty proximately causes the

death of, or substantial bodily harm to, a person other than himself,

is guilty of a category B felony and shall be punished by

imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less

than 2 years and a maximum term of not more than 20 years and

shall be further punished by a fine of not less than $2,000 nor more

than $5,000. A person so imprisoned must, insofar as practicable, be

segregated from offenders whose crimes were violent and, insofar as

practicable, be assigned to an institution or facility of minimum

security.

    2.  A prosecuting attorney shall not dismiss a charge of

violating the provisions of subsection 1 in exchange for a plea of

guilty, guilty but mentally ill or nolo contendere to a lesser charge or

for any other reason unless he knows or it is obvious that the charge

is not supported by probable cause or cannot be proved at the time

of trial. A sentence imposed pursuant to subsection 1 must not be

suspended, and probation must not be granted.

    3.  If consumption is proven by a preponderance of the

evidence, it is an affirmative defense under paragraph (c) of

subsection 1 that the defendant consumed a sufficient quantity of

alcohol after operating or being in actual physical control of the

vessel under power or sail, and before his blood was tested, to cause


him to have a concentration of alcohol of [0.10] 0.08 or more in his

blood or breath. A defendant who intends to offer this defense at a

trial or preliminary hearing must, not less than 14 days before the

trial or hearing or at such other time as the court may direct, file and

serve on the prosecuting attorney a written notice of that intent.

    4.  If a person less than 15 years of age was in the vessel at the

time of the defendant’s violation, the court shall consider that fact as

an aggravating factor in determining the sentence of the defendant.

    Sec. 14.  NRS 202.257 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    202.257  1.  It is unlawful for a person who:

    (a) Has a concentration of alcohol of 0.10 or more in his blood

or breath; or

    (b) Is under the influence of any controlled substance, or is

under the combined influence of intoxicating liquor and a controlled

substance, or any person who inhales, ingests, applies or otherwise

uses any chemical, poison or organic solvent, or any compound or

combination of any of these, to a degree which renders him

incapable of safely exercising actual physical control of a

firearm,

to have in his actual physical possession any firearm. This

prohibition does not apply to the actual physical possession of a

firearm by a person who was within his personal residence and had

the firearm in his possession solely for self-defense.

    2.  Any evidentiary test to determine whether a person has

violated the provisions of subsection 1 must be administered in the

same manner as an evidentiary test that is administered pursuant to

NRS 484.383 to 484.3947, inclusive, except that submission to the

evidentiary test is required of any person who is directed by a police

officer to submit to the test. If a person to be tested fails to submit to

a required test as directed by a police officer, the officer may direct

that reasonable force be used to the extent necessary to obtain the

samples of blood from the person to be tested, if the officer has

reasonable cause to believe that the person to be tested was in

violation of this section.

    3.  Any person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 is

guilty of a misdemeanor.

    4.  A firearm is subject to forfeiture pursuant to NRS 179.1156

to 179.119, inclusive, only if, during the violation of subsection 1,

the firearm is brandished, aimed or otherwise handled by the person

in a manner which endangered others.

    5.  As used in this section, the phrase “concentration of alcohol

of 0.10 or more in his blood or breath” [has the meaning ascribed to

it in NRS 484.038.] means 0.10 gram or more of alcohol per 100

milliliters of the blood of a person or per 210 liters of his breath.

    Sec. 15.  This act becomes effective on September 23, 2003,

and expires by limitation on the date of the repeal of the federal law


requiring each state to make it unlawful for a person to operate a

motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or

greater as a condition to receiving federal funding for the

construction of highways in this state.

 

20~~~~~03