FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1757

                         C 290 L 91

                     Synopsis As Enacted

Brief Description:  Changing "driving while intoxicated" to "driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug."

By Representatives Ferguson, Van Luven, Heavey, D. Sommers, Dorn, Miller, R. Meyers, Paris, Hargrove, Silver, Prentice, Moyer, Betrozoff, Winsley, Horn, Chandler, Tate, Vance, Nealey, Edmondson, Fuhrman, Broback, Wynne, Ballard, Hochstatter, Jacobsen, Wineberry, Roland, Bowman, Brough and Forner.

House Committee on Judiciary

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Background:  Throughout state law, there are numerous references to persons who are under the influence of liquor or drugs.  However, the same words are not always used to describe that influenced state.  The criminal code describes an intoxicated driver as "under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug."  Several other statutes just use the word "intoxicated."  This inconsistency in terminology can create ambiguity, including raising the question of whether a person under the influence of drugs is "intoxicated."

Summary:  In various statutes, the word "intoxicated" is replaced with the phrase "under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug."

Technical changes are also made for organizational purposes.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  98   0

Senate 43   1    (Senate amended)

House            (House refused to concur)

Senate 46   0    (Senate receded)

Effective:    July 28, 1991